drs. geert van de ven intercultural communication generalized knowledge vs fine tuning on the spot...

drs. Geert van de Ven

Intercultural CommunicationGeneralized knowledge vs

fine tuning on the spot

Wageningen University Studium Generale

5th of March 2014

1 Introduction

2 Case history Indonesia

3 Knowledge and its pitfalls

4 Intuition and its pitfalls

5 Conclusion: What if neither intuition nor knowledge works?

Knowledge: Top Down

Edward Said: Orientalism

Ian Buruma: Occidentalism

Pitfall of satellite views

Risk 1Typecasting and cliché for a

whole hemisphere

Orientals in Orientalism

• Mystical • Mysterious• Subservient• Elusive

Westerners in Occidentalism

• Rational• Scientific• Dominant, direct • Rude

Not seeing the cultural mingling

• Our Western classical knowledge?

• Kamikaze = typical for Japanese culture?

• Silicon Valley: All white male American trademark?

Risk 2

At first sight?

Details?

Dutch Icons

‘Subcultural’ Icons

Although there are pitfalls to knowledge it seems that we are desperately looking for a top down overview and control. And there is nothing wrong with that. As long as we give our first sight a second chance.

A second chance

Knowledge or getting to know

So./st.?

Intuition: Bottom Up

Intuition: a chance in meeting• Gut feeling vs intuition

• Passiveness vs alertness:

- The ‘sound of silence’- The ‘tone and rhythm’ of

language and the body - Eye contact

The Sound of silenceYou: ‘I'd like to talk about my job application.

I already figured out a few possibilities.Te.: ‘That's good that you're already thinking about it! Where are you going to apply though?’ SilenceYou: ‘I have to apply before the 30th of March’Te.: ‘Well then you are certainly on time!’

Long silenceYou: ‘How much longer do you have to work today?’Te.: ‘Oh. It's very busy. Good luck with your job

application!’

Is it polite?Pakistan customer: ‘ I WANT10 stamps, please'Employee: ' I BEG your pardon?'P. Customer <talking louder>:

' I WANT 10 stamps, now, please.'Employee: ' I'm sorry, Sir, do you mind asking it

politely?' P.Customer: ‘I WANT 10 stamps now, PLEASE’Employee <irritated>: ' Well, all right then, here

they are. Next, please' P. Customer: 'Enough for Pakistan?' Employee: 'Could you queue up, Sir, please?'

It’s in the eye of the beholder

- Static knowledge vs a diverse and dynamic getting to know (better)

-A satellite view vs a helicopter view

-Holding on to clichés: indolence vs the need for a temporary grip

Conclusion on knowledge

• Gut feeling vs fine tuning and spontaneity on the spot?

• Only verbal vs synchronicity of verbal and non verbal

• Subtlety is prone to misunderstanding. But repairs are possible

Conclusion on intuition

Epochè: 1 ‘Suspension of judgement’ about someone or something (second chance) 2 uestioning the acceptance of yourview on the world as being ‘natural’

Conclusion: what if…?

Paradise Lost