Nonverbal communication and culture. Identity, stereotypes and prejudices, страница 39

War and killing is seldom surprising when ethnic enemies use the outbreak of fighting to settle scores that can stretch back for centuries. And even Japan's relatively low murder rate reflects its history and customs, just as America's relatively high numbers do. Since the 17th century, private ownership of most guns has been banned in Japan.

The interest in the study of history is predicated on two assumptions:

-  First, historical events help explain the character of a culture. For all people, history is the source of the collective consciousness. (From the earliest Western movement across the plains of the United States to explorations of outer space, Americans have agreed on a history of conquest.)

-  Second, what a culture seeks to remember and pass on to the next generation tells us about the character of that culture. (American history books and folktales are running over with examples of how an individual can make a major difference in the world. We have all learned how Martin Luther King Jr. almost single-handedly shaped the civil rights movement.)

Part of any study of culture must include a review of the historical events that helped shape the character of the members of that culture.

SUMMARY

- World view is a culture's orientation toward God, humanity, nature, the universe, life, death, sickness, and other philosophical issues concerning existence. Although world view is communicated in a variety of ways, religion is the predominant element of culture that gives us our world view.

- The family, because it is the child's first introduction to culture, influences both perception and communication. Family teaches gender roles, views toward individualism and collectivism, perceptions toward aging, and social skills.

- History, by passing on stories of the past, influences perception and teaches group identity, loyalty, and what to strive for.

1.  Explain how understanding the religious aspect of a particular culture’s lifestyle might help you better communication with a member of that culture.

2.  Find the commonalities between the major religions.

3.  What  makes each religion a special worldview?

4.  Give reasons for the impact of family on the human development.

5.  Explain the link between a culture’s historical roots and some current perceptions and behaviors of that culture.

6.  How are religion, family and history linked together?

REFERENCES

Anderson, G.L. (Ed.) The Family in Global Transition. – St.Paul, MN: Paragon House Publishers, 1997.

Bianquis, T. A History of the Family, Vol. 4. – Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1996.

Paden, W.E. Religious Worlds: The Comparative Study of Religion. – Boston, MA: Beacon, 1994.

Rosten, M. Religions of America. – New York: Simon & Schuster, 1975.

Smart, R. Religious-Caused Complications in Intercultural Communication. In: Samovar, L. & Porter, R. (Eds.) Intercultural Communication: A Reader, 5^th ed. – Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1988.

Smith, H. The World’s Religions. – New York: Harper-Collins, 1991.

Smith, H. The Illustrated World’s Religions: A Guide to Our Wisdom Traditions. - New York: Harper-Collins, 1994.

Stephan, C.W., Stephan W.G. Intergroup Relations. – Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1996.

Storm, B. More Than Talk: Communication Studies and the Christian Faith. – Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing, 1996.

SEMINAR FOUR

CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN VARIOUS CONTEXTS

* Interpretive and critical approaches to social conflict * Social conflicts * Economic conflicts  * Historical and political contexts * Managing intercultural conflicts * Competition vs. destructive conflict * Competition vs. cooperation * Dealing with conflict * Mediation

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