1.3: Section 3-

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Peter Jones, Debra Miles & Narayan Gopalkrishnan
James Cook University via James Cook University

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While we have now developed some understanding of culture and cultural difference, we need to be aware of the limitations to fully understand other cultures. We need to recognise the plurality of cultures and be aware of any tendencies towards essentialism, or generalisations that reduce complex and dynamic cultures to some key definitive factors.7 Essentialism of culture minimises the internal differences within that culture. The challenge is to recognise and embrace diversity through respect and inclusion rather than a process of exclusion.8

http://www.ted.com/talks/wade_davis_...ief_and_ritual

For an inspired and impassioned insight into some of the ‘exquisite’ manifestations of these elements of culture, watch this short video by Canadian anthropologist, Wade Davis.

Given culture is dynamic, complex and prone to generalisation, the notion of intercultural competence is critiqued by a number of authors. Competence “refers to the ability to do something successful or efficiently. The focus remains on what people do rather than on the knowledge they have”.8 Practitioners should question the idea of the ‘cultural expert’ and challenge top-down, outsider, or etic approaches to understanding culture. Alternatively, an emic approach, or from within, entails collaborative processes where both outsiders and insiders are changed by cultural interactions. This requires developing greater awareness of self, sharing knowledge, creating partnerships and acknowledging issues of power, racism and the dynamic nature of culture.

In other words, when we begin to recognise the complexity of culture, it becomes apparent that ways of thinking about culture which tend to oversimplify, reduce
and homogenise cultures are inadequate. If we are interested in understanding our own culture, and in learning about the cultures of other people, an approach
that recognises and values this complexity is a valuable starting point.

vimeo.com/250724018