Authentically Addressing Diversity and Multiculturalism in Service-Learning

Multiculturalism in service-learning requires we each look at our own privileged and marginalized identities and the ways in which these identities impact our participation in communities and in service-learning.

According to Sweitzer and King (1999), "everyone carries some stereotypes and prejudices, ...If you work at it, you can learn to see your prejudices and make progress in overcoming them. However, at the same time, you will surely discover other, more subtle ones. The first step, though, toward being a non-prejudiced person is to confront and accept the prejudices you have."

Understanding your culture is an intrinsic part of deciphering your identity and how you perceive the world and the people around you. "Culture refers to the different ways we learn to understand and respond to the world based on our development within special groups - it is the shared values, norms, traditions, customs, art, history, folklore, and institution of a group or people." (Project for Pride in Living, Inc. Diversity Training manual).

Each individual's cultural self is a complex interplay among multiple identities constructed by sexual orientation, nationality, race, class, gender, religion, age, etc. Often it is easy to look only at how people are different from us. When we do this we fall into the limiting notion of what we consider the "other;" and make a false dichotomy between "them" and "us." The previous student journal entry is a great example of how this can apply to your community work.

Wilson, Hantz & Hanna (1998) identify several potential cross-cultural communication difficulties that may arise during your service-learning experience. Understanding these can help you avoid negative experiences and avoid offending other people while you are in the community:

Ethnocentrism is the tendency to view people of other cultures through one's own cultural perspective. We tend to view and judge people from our own view of how the world should operate.

When another's behavior is not consistent with our expectations, we assume there is something wrong with that person. This perspective may be particularly true of individuals who have had limited exposure to people different from themselves.

A language barrier can be speaking different languages but it can also occur between people who have the same language but use words differently.

Rules and norms are different for different groups. Difficulties arise when people violate the expected cultural rules and customs. These rules or customs can include verbal and nonverbal communication differences.

Knowledge of [another] culture should sharpen our ability to scrutinize more steadily, to appreciate more lovingly our own. ~ Margaret Mead

Learning From Cross-Cultural Communication Differences

Learn rules of culture or group.

Show respect for traditions, avoid imposing your culture and value system on others.

Observe carefully. There is no substitute for observing the culture you are attempting to understand.

Tolerate differences. Each of us carries an image of the world in our heads, and an image of how we believe the world is supposed to be. Accept others and allow them to have their own views without judging those views as unacceptable.

Develop flexibility. Don't feel threatened by others and become defensive.

Convey a genuine interest in understanding the other culture.