Blyde River Canyon.
[Image]. Retrieved from Gekon. from http://gekon.si/znamenitost/blyde-river-canyon/. South Africa.
Introduction:
According to Marshall McLuhan in 1960 (2013), the world has become more like a "Global village" in which communication technology has united people across the world” in ways that provide access to diverse cultures (Martin & Nakayama, 2013, p. 21). The increased ability to connect with various cultures and identities around the world has created a need for competent intercultural communicators that are not only self-aware of themselves, but also aware that “identity” is a product of a variety of factors linked to privilege and disadvantage, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, a variety of belief systems, membership to various cultures, personal experiences, family, various institutional and social structures, “politics, economics, and historical systems-often not of people's own making” that influence how people communicate (Martin & Nakayama, 2013, p. 5). Therefore, with the possibility of having to interact with more cultures that are different from one's own, it has become increasingly more important to understand the similarities and differences between cultures, as well as the context and various identities that can be at play when trying to communicate inter-culturally.
However, competency in intercultural communication also requires an openness to learn various aspects of another’s, as well as one’s own, culture and identity that might influence worldviews and communication styles. This requires a commitment from the intercultural communicator to search out ways to learn about different cultures, not only by reading about the culture, but when possible, through relational experiences with different identities and cultures. It also requires one to be flexible and open to the discomfort that often comes with intercultural learning, and realize that it is always a continuous process that requires a lifetime commitment to learning one’s self and about other people.
Although I have never been to South Africa, which is officially known as the Republic of South Africa (RSA), my desire to be a better intercultural communicator has led me to try to examine the various cultures and identities within South Africa. Obviously, one cannot truly examine a whole country and represent all its various cultures and identities in depth or even entirely accurately from the vantage point of just a researcher that is reading or viewing South Africa from a distance and as an outsider. However, I do hope to explain a few variables that one could consider when beginning to work towards understanding another culture and one’s own culture (in this American culture). Yet, whatever aspects of identity and culture that I discuss below about South Africa comes with the recognition that I have little personal or first-hand relational experience, or “contextual” understanding that comes from living and being-apart of a community, or the various standpoints that someone might occupy within a culture and community. What I hope to accomplish and convey is an overview of South African cultures and a few aspects that might shape one's identity. This website is not meant to represent every identity that exists within South Africa because that would be irresponsible and impossible after only interviewing two people and only researching the culture from afar.
There are four building blocks to understanding intercultural communications: culture, communication, context, and power (Martin & Nakayama, 2013, p.116). However, culture is not so easily explained because it is static, dynamic, and contextual to one’s lived experiences and worldviews. Therefore, a great way to start learning about various cultures that exist within a country, like South Africa, is to begin with an overview of the country, its demographics, official and unofficial languages, its government, and significant political history. These can give some insight into the historical background and cultural diversity that exists within a country-in this case South Africa. An overview of a country gives one a better understanding of possible conflicts and tensions that might arise when different identities from neighboring countries, and various ethnic, racial, religious, and other groups coexist among preexisting social and institutional structures. Intercultural communication requires ongoing intercultural learning and an awareness of another’s culture, as well as an understanding of how context and power dynamics might affect communication during any given situation. For example, this website may allow one to understand a particular culture, like the Xhosa culture, within South Africa that places great significance on clothing as an indicator of one’s marriage and social status, as well as having other cultural significance. Therefore, after reading this website one might consider clothing as a component of intercultural learning and a variable that communicates one’s identity that needs to be respected for effective intercultural communication to occur. The website also, uses South Africa as an example, and asks one to consider how various power structures and context might affect different groups and shape communication-possibly increasing misunderstandings. Finally the website, is meant to highlight the importance of intercultural sensitivity when communicating cross culturally by introducing the complexity among and within various cultural groups.
However, competency in intercultural communication also requires an openness to learn various aspects of another’s, as well as one’s own, culture and identity that might influence worldviews and communication styles. This requires a commitment from the intercultural communicator to search out ways to learn about different cultures, not only by reading about the culture, but when possible, through relational experiences with different identities and cultures. It also requires one to be flexible and open to the discomfort that often comes with intercultural learning, and realize that it is always a continuous process that requires a lifetime commitment to learning one’s self and about other people.
Although I have never been to South Africa, which is officially known as the Republic of South Africa (RSA), my desire to be a better intercultural communicator has led me to try to examine the various cultures and identities within South Africa. Obviously, one cannot truly examine a whole country and represent all its various cultures and identities in depth or even entirely accurately from the vantage point of just a researcher that is reading or viewing South Africa from a distance and as an outsider. However, I do hope to explain a few variables that one could consider when beginning to work towards understanding another culture and one’s own culture (in this American culture). Yet, whatever aspects of identity and culture that I discuss below about South Africa comes with the recognition that I have little personal or first-hand relational experience, or “contextual” understanding that comes from living and being-apart of a community, or the various standpoints that someone might occupy within a culture and community. What I hope to accomplish and convey is an overview of South African cultures and a few aspects that might shape one's identity. This website is not meant to represent every identity that exists within South Africa because that would be irresponsible and impossible after only interviewing two people and only researching the culture from afar.
There are four building blocks to understanding intercultural communications: culture, communication, context, and power (Martin & Nakayama, 2013, p.116). However, culture is not so easily explained because it is static, dynamic, and contextual to one’s lived experiences and worldviews. Therefore, a great way to start learning about various cultures that exist within a country, like South Africa, is to begin with an overview of the country, its demographics, official and unofficial languages, its government, and significant political history. These can give some insight into the historical background and cultural diversity that exists within a country-in this case South Africa. An overview of a country gives one a better understanding of possible conflicts and tensions that might arise when different identities from neighboring countries, and various ethnic, racial, religious, and other groups coexist among preexisting social and institutional structures. Intercultural communication requires ongoing intercultural learning and an awareness of another’s culture, as well as an understanding of how context and power dynamics might affect communication during any given situation. For example, this website may allow one to understand a particular culture, like the Xhosa culture, within South Africa that places great significance on clothing as an indicator of one’s marriage and social status, as well as having other cultural significance. Therefore, after reading this website one might consider clothing as a component of intercultural learning and a variable that communicates one’s identity that needs to be respected for effective intercultural communication to occur. The website also, uses South Africa as an example, and asks one to consider how various power structures and context might affect different groups and shape communication-possibly increasing misunderstandings. Finally the website, is meant to highlight the importance of intercultural sensitivity when communicating cross culturally by introducing the complexity among and within various cultural groups.