Cultural Competence

People talk a lot about "Culture" — we discuss the academic culture of the University, we debate whether or not Canada actually has a distinct culture, we recognize that, in a diverse University community, cultural competence is an important asset. We need to be happy and successful in our studies, our research and our careers.

Five points about culture

1. Culture is dynamic. Culture is constantly changing, evolving and being created especially as individuals from different cultures interact with each other.
2. Culture is shared. Cultural groups often have shared values, beliefs and expectations about how people should behave. Expected behaviours and roles emerge from beliefs about what is considered to be “right” or “wrong”.
3. Culture is based on symbols. Language, music, folklore, dress, customs and nonverbal gestures are examples of symbols within a culture and may be the first things we think of when we identify cultural differences. The transmission of culture takes place through the use of these symbols.
4. Culture is learned. New members to a particular culture are taught what the “rules” are. Many factors will influence the degree to which each of us learns, internalizes or resists these rules. Some of us are born into a culture and others such as new immigrants or refugees will learn and relate to their new culture through the experiences of an already well-established cultural identity.
5. Culture is integrated. What we learn about our culture within the context of social institutions — families, schools, workplaces and places of Worship — spans all aspects of life and can be generalized across different social institutions.

We can’t know everything about every culture. But we can recognize that all cultures are characterized by certain core issues even though they are expressed differently. Some core cultural issues are:

Concepts of time. Depending on the culture, time moves forward and is measured precisely or time is cyclical and is measured by events.

Physical contact and personal space. In some cultures, individuals are less inhibited about engaging in public displays of affection or physical contact. In others, individuals are expected to behave modestly. In some cases, for example, it is inappropriate for a stranger to shake hands with a member of the opposite sex.

Styles and patterns of communication. Some cultures are more accepting of silence during conversation whereas in other cultures individuals prefer continuous conversation and “small talk”.

Self-identity or self-orientation. In some cultures, members are more focused on self and meeting their individual needs whereas in other cultures the community’s needs take precedence.

Dealing with conflict. In some cultures, conflict is dealt with immediately and directly whereas in others the approach is to have patience and to avoid confrontation in order to preserve personal and group honour and dignity.

Relationships with nature. Some cultures value being in harmony with nature while others view mastery over nature as being important.

In order to avoid over-generalizing about members of a culture, keep in mind that we’re all influenced by a variety of factors that will determine what we value and how we behave.  These factors include:

• Age
• Educational level, occupation and income
• Geographic origins and current location; e.g., rural vs. urban
• Gender and sexual orientation
• Family background
• Political, religious or spiritual beliefs
• Personal, family and group histories
• Personal choice

• It’s the ability to communicate between and among cultures.
• It’s a process, not an outcome.  It’s dynamic, interactive and ongoing.
• It’s the ability to demonstrate skill outside one’s culture of origin.  
• It’s a willingness to ask questions in order to better understand, respect and value others.
• It’s openness to changing one’s world view. Many of us have been taught notions of racial superiority — that there are specific racial groups that are different from each other and that some are superior to others. We need to fundamentally change this thinking and embrace the belief that each of us brings a unique and equally legitimate perspective to our interactions with others.