I N T E R N A T I O NA L CO N F E R E N C E RCIC’15 Redefining Community in Intercultural Context Brasov, 21-23 May 2015 NO WORDS IN AFGHAN WORLD. CASE STUDY OF AFGHANS’ NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION Cosmin IVANCIU*, Viana POPICA** *Faculty of Aeronautical Management, “Henri Coandă” Air Force Academy, Braşov, Romania ** Faculty of Communication and Public Relations, National School of Political Studies and Public Administration, Bucharest, Romania Abstract: The knowledge and application of certain skills related to nonverbal communication have become very important for the military environment nowadays, especially due to the increasing number of troops deployed in unfamiliar cultural environments such as the Afghan theater of operations. Therefore, knowing how to interact with the local, prideful and conservative population can be an indisputable advantage. The paper approaches certain aspects of nonverbal behavior as a way of transmitting messages or attitudes within the Afghan culture. After defining specific subdivisions and concepts of the nonverbal communication (such as proxemics, kinesics, oculesics, haptics, vocalics, olfactics, chronemics etc.) the paper also includes a case study, relevant for any combatant or civilian that may further be deployed to the untamed Afghanistan. Keywords: nonverbal communication, military, Afghan culture, theater of operations 1. INTRODUCTION knowing how to interact with the local population and, sometimes just respectfully bowing your head The international environment changes that to an elder means “I don’t know your language or occurred during the last decades meant your culture, but I respect you and I want to learn”. involvement of unprecedentedly large number of By getting to know more about a certain culture personnel in missions outside their comfort zones, peels away the unknown. The hesitancy in outside their cultural environments where they’ve approaching inhabitants who are very dissimilar been raised and forced not simply to accomplish will be diminished. If you’re not trained to face the their tasks, but to perform at high standards in new new environment, the only chance for survival is and unfamiliar environments. From former adaptation or, in other words, learning on the way Yugoslavia to the, so called, Third World countries as fast as possible. in Africa and from the war on drugs in South This paper aims to provide a brief analysis of America to the war on terror in Iraq and the nonverbal interactions within the Afghan Afghanistan, military and civilian personnel are culture and its contrasts with Western cultures as it faced with new challenges by interacting with the is of critical importance to understand that Afghan local populations and often find themselves in cultural background influences their view of the awkward, unwanted, not to mention dangerous world. A complete understanding of the Afghan situations because of their lack of training and national culture is fundamental for performing in knowledge from the locals’ culture and customs an effective manner in this area. The final goal is point of view. to provide a useful guide that can be used by both Being immersed into an unfamiliar context, military and civilian personnel that may be where everything from travelling, attitudes towards deployed and work in this unfamiliar, yet women and time to dress code, food, amazingly rich culture. We’ll explore the cultural accommodation and ideas about hygiene are differences, from the nonverbal behavior point of something one is unacquainted to and if you add, view, that affect all personnel deployed in above all these, the feeling of loneliness and the Afghanistan in the way they think, act and relate to fear of being hurt, you may understand why each other. However, do not look this paper as someone may feel confused about the cultural covering all issues in this field. It is intended only shock he needs to face out. In many cases, another as an introduction to the topic. It provides a basic one may find himself in the situation of not understanding of a rich culture with a powerful and 414 NO WORDS IN AFGHAN WORLD. CASE STUDY OF AFGHANS’ NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION living history. A further, more extended, research UTC + 4,5 hours (Bucharest + 2,5 hours – daylight on this subject will prove itself more than useful in saving time). From the religion point of view, training personnel for facing the cultural Afghans are 99% Muslims and they follow the five challenges, because only when pillars of Islam: (1) The testimony of faith (Shahada): the declaration of faith that “there is no shows full acceptance and enjoyment of the host god, but Allah and Mohammed is Allah’s culture […] the individual has passed through messenger”, that every Muslim has to say it with culture shock, to become truly intercultural (McLaren, 1998:12). conviction during his prayers; (2) Prayer (Salat) – Muslims are expected to pray five times a day; (3) 2. BRIEF OVERVIEW OF AFGHANISTAN Support of the needy (Zakat) – Muslims are expected to share the wealth they have received Ahmad Shah Durrani (1722 - 1772), that in from Allah. Sharing 2,5% off all assets is 1747 unified all Pashtun tribes is considered the customary; (4) Fasting the month of Ramadan founding father of the state of Afghanistan. During (Sawm) – Ramadan is a time for physical discipline the shadow fights between the Russian and the and spiritual reflection. Muslims fast from dawn Britain empires in the 19th century, fearing the until sunset, abstaining from food, drink, smoking expansionist tactics of the first one, Afghanistan and sexual relations; (5) The pilgrimage to Makkah was occupied by the British in the late 1830s. They (Hajj) - is an obligation once in a lifetime for all regain their independence on 19th of August 1919, Muslims who are physically and financially able to when the British Empire recognized the perform it. An individual who completed the independent state of Afghanistan; therefore this pilgrimage may be called Hajji. A person who has day is now celebrated as the National Day. not completed the Hajj should never be called The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979 Hajji, as this way of calling may be understood as in order to support the unstable Afghan communist sarcasm and is a deep humiliation and shame to the regime and withdrew in 1989 under the ruthless man who has been unable to fulfill this sacred pressure of the Mujahidin rebels. A series of civil obligation due to poverty. wars occurred, that finally ended up with an install Implementing the six dimensions of culture of a Taliban regime in 1996 to end the country's laid down by Hofstede in 2010, on to the Afghan civil war. After the 11th of September 2001 culture, the results are far from unexpected. terrorist attacks, Northern Alliance took action and Afghan society is a high power society as members toppled over the Taliban regime for sheltering do not seem themselves as equals, but followers of Osama bin Laden. In December 2004, Hamid the judgements of the decision makers in power. It Karzai became the first democratically elected is vital to determine the power agent of a president of Afghanistan and the National community whether this is the local mullah, tribal Assembly was inaugurated the following elder, politician or businessman. The overall December. Karzai was re-elected in August 2009 meetings and negotiations’ efficiency will be for a second term. Since the 29th of September improved by frontally dealing with those in power. 2014 Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai is the President of From the second dimension perspective, Afghanistan. Afghanistan is a collective society where supreme The landlocked country of Afghanistan is fidelity is given to one’s family above all other situated in the Southern Asia, it has an area of social groups. Family is the main source of an approximately 650.000 sq km and neighbors with Afghan’s identity and the primary factor in Pakistan (2.430 km border) in east and south, Iran decision-making. The next Afghans identity levels (936 km border) in west, Turkmenistan (744 km are embodied by their affiliation to their village, border) and Uzbekistan (for 137 km) in the north tribe and nation/ethnicity. The individual himself is and in the far north-east with China (76 km the least important link in such a collective society. border). Climate is arid to semiarid, with cold Touching down the third dimension we conclude winters and very hot summers. The total that Afghan society is a masculine one, where population is approximately 32 million (in July women play a subordinate role. Even if in big 2014). Official languages are Dari (spoken by 50% cities women have a job and work outside the of population) and Pashto (spoken by 35% of the house, men are in control of the financial affairs of population). Capital of the country is the city of the house. On the other hand, in the rural area the Kabul, situated at 1.800 m altitude, with a women’s duty is to stay home, raise the children, population of approximately 4.436.000 (Central cook and clean. It’s a matter of honor for an Intelligence Agency, 2015). Time difference is Afghan male to be the sole financial support for his 415 Cosmin IVANCIU, Viana POPICA family, to provide them food, clothes and fulfill 3. AFGHAN NONVERBAL any other needs. Concerning the fourth dimension, COMMUNICATION PATTERNS Afghan society prefers high uncertainty avoidance. They promote tribal rules and religious values to Communication may adopt two configurations: standardize their day by day life. Also superstitions verbal, when information is transmitted using the play an important role. Such examples are: when articulate language (oral or written), that is someone in the family dies, women do not wash characteristic to human beings and nonverbal their clothes for three days or sweeping the house achieved through “individual’s behavior at night is a sin.