Stereotypes and Generalizations

Two Day Workshops?




Alfred J. Kraemer succinctly summarizes Kalevi J. Holsti’s ideas when he says that even the most objective of scholars are partly prisoners of their experiences, the values predominant in their society, and the myths, traditions, and stereotypes that permeate their nation and environment” (Kraemer 225). Kraemer developed an intercultural training program consisting of 15 hours which could be broken into two days of training.



As I read his article, I was troubled by the importance and relevance of a two day workshop on intercultural communication. He asks us to question why it is acceptable for management/human resources to accept that it takes at least two weeks to train a bartender and several weeks to train a baker but only a few hours for an intercultural educator to develop the ability to work with people from another culture. This is a perspective that is still quite pervasive when we accept the two day workshop model. Kraemer notes that shortcomings in intercultural training will manifest itself to the participants when they have experienced another culture.



I know that such programs are certainly not comprehensive but I would certainly advocate that intercultural educators be given the opportunity to take this training even if it is limited since it will provide a starting point for discussion. It is an initial opportunity for dialogue and the engaged amongst us will certainly seek opportunities for further learning.



Conceptual Framework of Internal Projections:

It is virtually impossible for anyone to communicate with anyone without making assumptions about each other; although, in the case of the soup story it seems that the communications are quite subtle.



We make projections which are assumptions based on a variety of factors that influence our thinking and behaviour, such as age, gender, occupation, level of intelligence and education, situational constraints, and cultural background. Kraemer defines these assumptions as intercultural projections.



I believe that in order to be culturally sensitive educators, it is important that we are able to define some of these stereotypes and generalizations.



Do I know the difference between a stereotype and a generalization?

Do stereotypes help or inhibit an understanding of other cultures?

Do generalizations help or inhibit an understanding of other cultures?



This is a chart that I have used to ask my students to consider the difference between stereotypes and generalizations.

Here are some examples that I heard of stereotypes and generalizations:

All Parisians are rude. (Generalization that people in Paris are rude.  Everything was over-priced in Price.
Paris is not a city for love; it's dirty.)

Kraemer, A. (1999). A method for developing deep cultural self-awareness through intensive practice: A retrospective. In S. Fowler & M. Mumford’s (Eds.). Intercultural sourcebook: Cross-cultural training methods, vol. 2. Yarmouth, USA: Intercultural Press, p 225-239.