scholarly journals Allegory Encourages Self-reflection and Multi-cultural Understanding in a College Communications Course

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 161
Author(s):  
Bettina P. Murray
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Asian Students ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Cultural Understanding ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
North Americans ◽  
Significant Interest ◽  
Literary Device ◽  
Student Reactions

Urban college students (n=179) from diverse cultural backgrounds and regions received instruction in the writing of short narratives, or allegories, to express generalizations about human behavior. At the beginning of the three-month semester students were given samples of allegories concluding with a lesson and then were asked to create an original allegory. These original narratives were analyzed and their conclusions categorized. Students’ allegories expressed diverse cultural values although there were cross-cultural similarities. Findings indicated Asian students expressed significant interest in attaining wisdom and a balanced life over time. Latinx emphasized attaining self-respect, love, loyalty and fair treatment. Eastern Europeans were concerned over breaking a trust. Being deceived by appearances was a mutual concern for North Americans, Latinx and Europeans. At the semester’s end a survey of student reactions indicated students gained increased cultural understanding from sharing their work. Implications are that allegory may be used as a literary device to achieve self-reflection and understanding of other cultures.

scholarly journals Cross-cultural psychiatric assessment

1997 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 103-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dinesh Bhugra ◽  
Kamaldeep Bhui
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Ethnic Minorities ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Patient Interaction ◽  
Cultural Expectations ◽  
Different Cultures

Different cultures vary in their perceptions of mental illness (Karno & Edgerton, 1969), which can affect their utilisation of orthodox psychiatric facilities (Padilla et al, 1975; Sue, 1977). Mental health services may be seen by ethnic minorities as challenging the value of traditional support systems, reflecting dominant Western cultural values and harbouring implicitly racist psychological formulations. The clinician-patient interaction may become fraught with misunderstandings if the two parties come from different cultural backgrounds and bring distinct cultural expectations to the encounter.

Death in Colonial North America: Cross-Cultural Encounters

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik R. Seeman
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Mortuary Practices ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Cultural Encounters ◽  
North Americans ◽  
Labor Exploitation ◽  
Cultural Boundaries ◽  
Colonial Encounter

Death is universal yet is experienced in culturally specific ways. Because of this, when individuals in colonial North America encountered others from different cultural backgrounds, they were curious about how unfamiliar mortuary practices resembled and differed from their own. This curiosity spawned communication across cultural boundaries. The resulting knowledge sometimes facilitated peaceful relations between groups, while at other times it helped one group dominate another. Colonial North Americans endured disastrously high mortality rates caused by disease, warfare, and labor exploitation. At the same time, death was central to the religions of all residents: Indians, Africans, and Europeans. Deathways thus offer an unmatched way to understand the colonial encounter from the participants’ perspectives.

scholarly journals Mind the Culture Gap: A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Tourism Destination Websites in Austria and the United Kingdom

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. 35-41
Author(s):  
Angelika Rafetzeder
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Web Design ◽  
Cultural Analysis ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Website Design ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Tourism Destinations

Websites of destination marketing organisations (DMO’s) are important tools to market tourism destinations to prospective visitors. They provide an abundance of information for tourists and help them plan their visit to the destination or find inspiration for an upcoming vacation. In many cases, website visitors come from other countries and cultures. In order to satisfy the needs of international website visitors, website providers would need to consider diverse cultural backgrounds and different languages when designing, implementing and maintaining a website. The main objective of this master thesis is to analyse the depiction of cultural values on DMO websites in Austria and the United Kingdom. It is then sought to compare them to the perceived cultural values of the respective host country by looking at Hofstede’s and Hall’s cultural frameworks. Moreover, it is aimed to provide a framework for tourism professionals and website developers who oversee and implement the creation of websites for tourism destinations. To establish the foundation of this thesis, an extensive literature review in the field of cross- cultural web design is provided with the aim to support the process of further developing a framework for the analysis of cultural values on the World Wide Web. Drawing on Hofstede’s dimensions and Hall’s high/low context theory this framework seeks to broaden the cross-cultural lens adopted by website providers. The content analysis is going to include 18 DMO websites that represent tourism destinations on three levels: Nations, provinces/countries and cities. The analysis is expected to shed light on website design in Austria and the United Kingdom and increase awareness towards the significance of localized cultural values. It should provide recommendations for professionals who are implementing websites for tourism destinations. Additionally, the study on Austrian and British websites can be of excellent value for tourism managers and destination marketers since both countries welcome many tourists each year.

Designing Quality Online Education to Promote Cross-Cultural Understanding

2011 ◽  
pp. 35-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Youmei Liu
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Cultural Values ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Cultural Value ◽  
Value Systems ◽  
Cultural Learning ◽  
Cultural Understanding ◽  
Cross Cultural Communication ◽  
Use Of Technology

This chapter focuses on four main areas: (1) the relationship between cultural value systems and education, (2) the influence of cultural values on assessment systems, (3) the use of technology to facilitate cross-cultural communication, and (4) online education promoting the development of social capital. It argues that in order to design an effective curriculum that can be applied in a cross-cultural learning environment, both instructors and students need to be aware of diverse cultural value systems and their characteristics. This cross-cultural understanding and the creation of social capital can be developed through effective communication with the assistance of technology.

scholarly journals Comparing Cross-Cultural Dimensions of the Experiences of International Tourists in Vietnam

2006 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Thuy-Huong Truong ◽  
Brian King
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Values ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Visitor Satisfaction ◽  
Tourist Satisfaction ◽  
Tourism Professionals ◽  
Tourism Service

Vietnam’s location in South East Asia places it well to benefit from tourism growth trends regionally and globally. It appeals to international tourists because of its long history, its culture and its unique customs and habits. Vietnam is experiencing rapid international tourism growth of visitors from different cultural backgrounds which places pressure on tourism service providers. If development is to be well managed, tourism professionals will need to broaden their understanding of both Western and Asian visitors, and managers need to encourage an atmosphere of familiarity and comfort amongst tourist groups, thus enhancing visitor satisfaction. However, appealing to diverse tourists markets is difficult because the needs of visitors are culturally determined and complex. Despite the importance of tourism for Vietnam, no research has attempted to measure tourist satisfaction in a cross-cultural context. In the present paper, a conceptual framework is proposed to explain the determinants of satisfaction amongst international tourists from different cultures when holidaying in Vietnam. In developing the proposed model, a review is undertaken of the concepts of culture, rules of behaviour, tourist perception and satisfaction. A range of factors are take into account including internal factors (such as cultural values, rules of behaviour, socio-demographics, behavioural and other travel characteristics) and external factors including tourist perceptions of their hosts and of products and services.

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