Performing Arts Chapter 9

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Chapter Nine

New Perspectives: Prospects for the Future

Overview

Kim, Y. “From Culture to Interculture: Communication, Adaptation, and Identity Transformation in the

Globalizing World” (pp. 430-437).

Saint-Jacques, B. “The Multiculturalism Dilemma” (pp. 438-449).

Immigrant multiculturalism is the focus of this essay. The author explores policies and attitudes

Miike, Y. & Yin, J. “Asiacentricity and Shapes of the Future: Envisioning the Field of Intercultural

Communication in the Globalization Era” (pp. 449-465).

Chen, G-M. “Seeking Common Ground While Accepting Differences through Tolerance: U.S.-China

Intercultural Communication in the Global Community” (pp. 465-471).

Shuter, R. “The Promise of Intercultural New Media Studies” (pp. 472-481).

Due to technological advances in recent years, people are no longer restricted to face–to-face

– Chapter Nine –

Outline

I. FROM CULTURE TO INTERCULTURE: COMMUNICATION, ADAPTATION, AND IDENTITY

TRANSFORMATION IN THE GLOBALIZING WORLD (Kim)

a. The process of cross-cultural adaptation

i. Cross-cultural adaptation: “a special case of the natural human tendency of self–

organization in response to a new or changing cultural environment” (p. 431)

b. Adaptation as a communication phenomenon

i. Cross-cultural adaptation: “the communication process in which individuals strive to

establish and maintain a relatively stable, reciprocal, and functional relationship with a

changing or changed cultural environment” (p. 431)

c. Acculturation and deculturation

i. Acculturation: The acquisition of new cultural patterns and practices in wide-ranging

areas including the learning of a new language, norms, and practices

ii. Deculturation: Unlearning at least some of one’s old cultural elements

1. This process is seldom intentional or deliberate

d. The stress-adaptation-growth dynamic

i. Acculturation and deculturation cause stress; stress presents us with an opportunity to

search deeply inside ourselves for new possibilities to recreate ourselves, and as such is

essential in the adaptation process

ii. Most people start adapting as they embrace environmental changes and strive to stabilize

themselves by overcoming predicaments

iii. Psychological growth, an increased complexity in an individual’s internal system, follows

iv. The stress-adaptation-growth dynamic

1. Continues as long as there are new environmental challenges, with the overall

movement in the direction of greater adaptation and growth

e. Identity transformation: Individuation and universalization

i. Intercultural identity: An open-ended, adaptive, and transformative self-other orientation

(p. 433)

ii. Individuation: A clear self-definition and definition of the other as a singular individual

rather than a member of a conventional social category (p. 433)

iii. Universalization: Development of an “‘awareness of the relative nature of values and the

universal aspects of human nature’” (p. 433)

f. Empirical evidence

i. Studies of immigrants’ acculturation and deculturation

ii. Studies of sojourner’s acculturation and deculturation

g. Case illustrations

i. Biographical stories illustrating acculturation and deculturation

1. Mueno Yoshikawa

h. Toward intercultural personhood

i. Intercultural personhood is something that conjoins rather than divides, and creates a

II. THE MULTICULTURALISM DILEMMA (Saint-Jacques)

a. Introduction

i. People (both rich and poor) are moving internationally more than ever before

ii. Many states have started perceiving diversity as a problem that threatens national unity

and racism and xenophobia are surging

iii. “Multiculturalism”

iv. The introduction of courses about various cultures in the education system

2. Simplistic views of cultures are presented, which can reinforce stereotypes

4. Most programs ignore globalization and the complex relationships individuals

have with culture

5. Practical problem: No education program could accommodate all cultures

v. Multicultural education

1. Multicultural education: Education reform proposals whose purposes are to

foster intercultural sensitivity in students (p. 440)

2. The education system alone cannot bring about change in society

vi. Multiculturalism as an ideology or political system

1. Political ideologies about multiculturalism have powerful impacts on the

national identity and collective image of a nation

b. Multiculturalism in the United States

i. “Melting pot”

ii. Horace Kallen

1. First opponent of the melting pot idea

2. First interculturalist in the United States

iii. Immigration patterns began to change, with more immigrants coming from Asia and

Latin America, which made European Americans nervous

iv. Miller, The Unmaking of Americans: How Multiculturalism Has Undermined the

Assimilation Ethic

1. Miller believes the United States has lost its national sense of purpose, and

multiculturalism will cause fragmentation, resegregation, and tribalization;

2. Miller also argued that multiculturalism encourages immigrants to think of

themselves as members of groups rather than individuals

v. Schmidt, The Menace of Multiculturalism

1. Schmidt argues that multiculturalism promotes the importance of race,

3. He argues the greatest hindrance to assimilation is multilingualism

c. Multiculturalism in Canada

i. In the United States, multiculturalism stems from individuals and minority/ethnic groups,

but in Canada it is governmental policy

1. Before the 1960s, the government excluded nonwhite immigrants, arguing they

were unassimilable

3. Separatist movement (Quebec)

5. 1988: Canada became the first country in the world to pass a national

multiculturalism law

ii. Canadian governmental multicultural laws are under attack for undermining immigrant

integration, encouraging ethnic separation

iii. Many myths born from multicultural Canadian society: Multiculturalism is unnatural,

expensive, counterproductive, prevents national unity

iv. Some Canadian authors argue that Canadian multiculturalism policies encourage

ghettoization and apartheid citizenship

v. “Cultural mosaic”: Idealized vision of Canadian diversity

vi. Critiques of multiculturalism:

1. Multiculturalism is socially divisive

vii. Multiculturalism in Canada creating Chinese ghettos, Chinese language used often in

d. Evaluating multiculturalism

i. Assimilation is happening rapidly in both the United States and Canada

2. Home ownership

4. Intermarriage

ii. Canadian identity is an elusive concept

1. Many can identify as “not American”

e. Conclusion

i. Immigrants should maintain their mother tongue and culture but also learn the language

III. ASIACENTRICITY AND SHAPES OF THE FUTURE: ENVISIONING THE FIELD OF

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION IN THE GLOBALIZATION ERA (Miike & Yin)

a. African Kawaida Philosophy, Afrocentricity, and Asiacentricity

i. Asiacentricity: “centering, not marginalizing, Asian languages, religions/philosophies,

histories, and aesthetics in theorizing and storytelling about Asian communicative life”

(p. 450)

ii. Afrocentricity, based on Kawaida

2. Afrocentricity aims to relocate and recenter African people within the context of

their own culture and history and view themselves as actors and agents of their

cultural world rather than being displaced and peripheralized by a Eurocentric

worldview

iii. Afrocentricity and Asiacentricity argue that our own culture should be central, not

marginal, in our story, without completely ignoring other perspectives on our culture

1. We should study etymological origins and semantic implications of

communication-related terms in as many languages as possible

3. We should articulate the inseparable link between worldviews and the purposes

of communication

4. We should examine the totality of cultural communication systems

ii. We must understand and validate all systems of communication because we bring

communicative assumptions to intercultural interactions

c. Redefining cultural similarities and differences through multiple lenses

i. The perception of similarities and differences is a major part of intercultural

communication scholarship

ii. But the field still suffers from comparative Eurocentrism, which normalizes and

naturalizes U.S. European American cultural values and communicative styles

d. Rethinking identity, community, and ethical implications of communication

i. The field of intercultural communication has focused on individual identity rather than

collective identity

ii. From the Asian perspective, the culture and the individual are not perceived as being in

opposition to each other

1. Western rights-consciousness versus Eastern duty-consciousness

e. Formulating a philosophy and policy of intercultural communication

i. Deconstruction is very important for intercultural communication scholars because it

broadens and deepens our understanding

f. The challenge of intercultural communication in the globalization era

i. The next frontier of intercultural communication will be to productively guide and

navigate us toward “harmony without uniformity”

IV. SEEKING COMMON GROUND WHILE ACCEPTING DIFFERENCES THROUGH

TOLERANCE: U.S.-CHINA INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION IN THE GLOBAL

COMMUNITY (Chen)

a. Intercultural awareness and intercultural sensitivity

i. A lack of intercultural awareness is the cause of the troubled relationship between the United

States and China

4. Chinese epistemology is focused on interconnectedness while U.S. American

epistemology is focused on reductionistic ways of knowing

6. However, these differences are differences of degrees since a continuum exists

between these two cultures

b. Intercultural communication in the global community

i. Interaction in the global community is intercultural and multicultural and must be viewed

c. Conclusion

V. THE PROMISE OF INTERCULTURAL NEW MEDIA STUDIES (Shuter)

a. Intercultural New Media Studies (INMS): Parameters of a field

i. Intercultural New Media Studies aims to study how Information and Communication

Technology (ICTs) impact intercultural communication

ii. New media and intercultural communication theory

1. Intercultural dialogue, third culture, and new media

a. The following suppositions emerge from new media literature:

i. Intercultural dialogue and third culture building, as

defined in face-to-face literature, may be difficult to

2. Acculturation, intercultural competence, and new media

a. The data on new media and acculturation raise the following

suppositions:

i. Computer-mediated communication (CMC) appears to

play a positive role in acculturation and intercultural

3. Cultural identity and new media

a. The literature on cultural identity and new media raise the

following suppositions:

i. It is not clear how cultural identities are constructed in

iii. Culture and new media: Secondary area of intercultural new media studies

1. Culture and new media affect each other

3. There are therefore many new avenues for investigation

a. Research that takes a sociocultural perspective

b. Research that includes two or more cultures

c. Research that generates intercultural theories on the social uses

of new media

b. Conclusion

-Chapter Nine –

Discussion Ideas

Concepts & Questions from “From Culture to Interculture: Communication, Adaptation, and Identity

Transformation in the Globalizing World” (Kim, pp. 430-437):

1. Implicit in Kim’s essay is the idea that through the exposure to globalization one’s original

cultural values and behaviors evolve. Provide an empirical example of this concept.

2. According to the essay, in order to become functional in the “globalizing world,” one’s identity

needs to undergo a process of transformation. In your opinion, is this necessary and how may it

be achieved?

7. Kim asserts that “culture in its pure form has become more a nostalgic concept than a reality.”

What does she mean by this? Do you agree? Why?

8. The essay concludes with the observation that the changes brought about by globalization can

be disquieting to those “individuals, social organizations, communities, and nations that are

Concepts & Questions from “The Multiculturalism Dilemma” (Saint-Jacques, pp. 438-449):

1. What does the word “multiculturalism” mean to you personally?

3. Saint-Jacques describes three different perspectives for discussing multiculturalism. Which of

the three perspectives is most effective for you personally? Why?

4. What are some of the differences and similarities behind the history of immigration in the

United States and Canada? Were some aspects more effective than others? If so, which and

why?

Concepts & Questions from “Asiacentricity and Shapes of the Future: Envisioning the Field of

Intercultural Communication in the Globalization Era” (Miike & Yin, pp. 449-465):

1. Explain your interpretation of the terms “Eurocentric,” “Afrocentric,” and “Asiacentric.”

2. What are the objectives of “Asiacentricity”?

3. Miike and Yin assert that globalization has increased the importance of an Asiacentric

perspective due to the need to “move beyond the Eurocentric structure.” What does this mean

and do you agree or disagree? Why?

4. The essay discusses “multidimensional individual identity” and “shared collective identity.”

What are some benefits and disadvantages of each type of identity?

5. Your worldview, according to the essay, influences your perception of the purpose of

communication. Examples are given for Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. Provide an

explanation of how values construct one’s view of the purpose of communication in Western

society.

9. Can you think of ways that Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, or Islam might influence face-

to-face interaction with people who hold a different worldview?

Concepts & Questions from “Seeking Common Ground While Accepting Differences through Tolerance:

U.S.–China Intercultural Communication in the Global Community” (Chen, pp. 465-471):

1. Chen indicates that “Western beliefs in freedom of expression, human rights, individual

2. Explain how understanding cultural values leads to intercultural awareness.

3. Compare Chinese and U.S. ontological perspectives. How can the contrasts influence

intercultural communication?

4. Chen explains that cognitive processing, or thinking patterns, differs sharply between Chinese

and U.S. Americans. What cultural values underlie and exemplify these separate styles of

thinking?

5. According to Chen, an awareness of cultural differences and similarities will not ensure success

in intercultural interactions. Do you agree? Explain?

7. What is “boundary wisdom”?

8. In your opinion, can globalization be reversed? Why or why not?

Concepts & Questions from “The Promise of Intercultural New Media Studies” (Shuter, pp. 472-481):

1. Robert Shuter claims that the advent of new media forms is transforming intercultural

communication. Using examples, explain this claim.

2. What is meant by a “third culture”? How can it be formed through intercultural dialogue?

3. How can new media forms facilitate the acculturation process?

5. Provide an example of intercultural communication you have experienced using new media.

What problems were encountered and how did you overcome them?

– Chapter Nine –

Exercises

Exercise 9.1: Evaluating Multiculturalism in Your Area

This activity is designed to get students to examine and evaluate the multiculturalism present around

them. It will also expose them to the diverse views of multiculturalism of their classmates.

In small groups or alone outside of class, ask your students to answer the following questions:

• What immigrant groups are living in your area?

• How assimilated do you think these immigrant groups in your area are in terms of citizenship

status, home ownership, language acquisition, and intermarriage?

• Are there any official multicultural policies where you live? If so, what are they? If not, how (if at

all) are individuals or ethnic/minority groups initiating multiculturalism?

• Keeping in mind the elements of Saint-Jacques’ critique, how would you evaluate the

multiculturalism (or lack thereof) in your area? Provide evidence to support your evaluation.

• How would you change the official or unofficial multiculturalism in your area? What do your

proposed changes reveal about your view of multiculturalism and your view of what makes a

community cohesive, whole, functional, etc.?

After the questions have been addressed alone or in groups, hold a class discussion in which students

share their ideas so the class can explore and critique local multiculturalism.

Another option is to hold a debate over the official or unofficial multiculturalism in your area. For this

activity, you can have students divide themselves based on how they actually feel (if you have enough

Exercise 9.2: Adaptation to College Life

This activity is designed to have students reflect on their own experiences with the stress-adaptation-

growth model. International students will have experienced (or be experiencing) the model in a context

more relevant to Kim’s essay, but even students who have never lived outside their hometown will have

undergone some kind of adjustment to college life.

Next, ask students to reflect on times when they experienced stress as a result of this new environment

(perhaps they couldn’t find a building, didn’t understand that discussion sections or labs accompanied

lectures as part of a course, or were confused by the final exam schedule, etc.). How did these stressful

situations lead them to more fully adapt to college life? How do they think their identities have changed

as a result of this adaptation? Now that they have adapted, what things do they now take for granted but

would they need to keep in mind when talking to someone who has never been to college?

Exercise 9.3: New Media Communicative Norms

The goal of this exercise is to get students thinking about the communicative norms they adhere to in their

communications using new media and reflect on what that might mean for intercultural communication.

Choose a new media platform that will likely be familiar to all students, such as texting, emailing,

Facebook, etc., and ask students to form small groups and reflect on what communicative norms they

expect in this mode of communication. Encourage them to refer to the messages stored in their cell

phones, email in-boxes, or social networking sites if necessary, and ask them to consider the following

questions to help them determine some of their communicative norms:

• How much information is considered appropriate to include in a single message?

• What topics are considered appropriate or inappropriate? What kinds of good news or bad news

are appropriate to share in this mode of communication with different recipients?

• How do you express agreement or disagreement?

• How do you express sympathy or support?

• How does conversational turn-taking work in this medium?

Once a set of norms has been established, ask the students to share their ideas on what the ramifications

are for violating these communicative norms in the electronic medium you have chosen to analyze. What

do they think about people who violate these norms? What do they think their analysis means for the field

of intercultural communication?

– Chapter Nine –

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