People first. But culture first?

After reading some articles about inter cultural communication I clearly realize that it’s very difficult if not impossible to talk about culture and intercultural communication from an objective or culture-free position, what Hofstede calls “cultural relativism”. All of us carry our own set of unwritten rules and behaviors, learnt from our environment and past experiences, which gives us the base for our thinking, feeling and acting, and provides us a unique way of going through life. It’s like each of us has a unique pair of lenses through which perceives and understands what’s going on around, and take decisions accordingly.

In this heterogeneity is where the major complexity of studying inter cultural communication or inter cultural work resides. It’s very difficult to be introduced to and try to comprehend another culture in a not-judging position. Something that is very clear for me is that each society works under certain set of rules or culture, and that these rules are not wrong, they are the best rules for that society. For example, if a society has a linear approach towards time and values punctuality it doesn’t mean that that cultural value is better than having a concept of time more flexible. Or that organizations that are individualistic can achieve more that those that value collectivism.

My major concern is that each person should achieve the most of his/her life and have all the opportunities to do so. Therefore gender, race, origin, social status, or “connections” should not determine anyone’s results in life.

But there are some cultural barriers that can affect this equality in access to opportunities or capabilities. As human beings we all have right to a minimum set of capabilities, such as not dying from preventable diseases, having access to education, a respectable job, a decent income, shelter and clothing, freedom to profess a religion or support certain political view, to participate in the decisions of the community or the country we live in, or enjoying our free time.

When culture and tradition affect any of these capabilities, is still “right” to put culture first? When a society doesn’t value girls to attend to school because there are not “female” jobs in the community, limiting girls’ opportunities in life, or when women are beaten by their husbands if they go out to work, what is right to believe? Up to what point can we respect others cultural values?

When dealing with cultural values such as attitudes towards time or individualism vs. collectivism, there’s no right or wrong position. But when cultural values compromise human integrity, are there some limits?

References

Chapter 3, "Cultural Perception and Values", from Chen, Guo-Ming and William J Starosta. Foundations of Intercultural Communication (2005). Allyn and Bacon, Toronto ON.

Chapter 1 "Introduction: The Rules of the Social Game" Hofstede, G & Hofstede, GJ (2005). Cultures and organizations: Software of the mind. Toronto, ON: McGraw-Hill Books.

Chapter 3 "Culture, Communication, Context and Power" Martin, J. & Nakayama, T (2006). Intercultural communication in contexts. (4th Ed). Toronto, ON: McGraw Hill.

Chapter One "An Introduction to Culture" and Chapter Three "The Meaning of Culture". Trompenaars, F and Hampden-Turner, C (1998). Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding Cultural Diversity in Global Business 2nd Ed. Toronto, ON: McGraw-Hill.

Nussbaum, M. (2000). Women and Human Development. The Capabilities Approach. New York: Cambridge University Press.