Intercultural learning

Being member of the SIETAR –Society for Intercultural education training and research- I attended a conference of Margalit Cohen-Emerique on dangers for identity and self-shock

Margalit develops the intercultural encounter problem not from an cross-cultural point of view but from the general perspective of encounter with the Other.
In her theory the more the other’s behavior surprises, offends or challenges us the more we feel that our own identity is in danger ( unity, continuity, coherence and value) and we tend to have a defence reaction . With this reaction we even become in response a danger to the identity of the Other.
Margalit has observed social workers who work with people from different cultural contexts and rather than focusing on explaining why the culturally different group behaved that way she concentrated on the effect the behavior had in the social worker and what resources he/she could mobilize to face the situation. In that sense her model corresponds to the psychological need of the social worker as being taken serious in his reaction and emotion and it studies what is there and available ( the emotional reaction of the social worker). At the same time it is adaptable to more situations than just the cross- cultural ones and doesn’t need previous knowledge or predictability of possible situations.

Sounds complicated, but actually during the whole Saturday Margalit made her fascinating theory very clear and understandable. I wasn’t bored for a second and my mind raced ahead in making all kinds of associations with my current work. At the same time I realized that although I have a good instinct my theoretical basis on the subject is too thin and I'd be well advised to do some groundwork.
As a plus I got to know a lot of interesting people- I think I’ll have to sign up for more conferences of SIETAR.