Intercultural Communication as a Tenet of Care
The field of Intercultural Communication can prepare us to navigate across cultures in a variety of contexts, particularly in the spaces we enter at the end of life. There are four building blocks that make up Intercultural Communication:
Culture
Communication
Context
Power
Martin and Nakayama (source cited below) define culture as "learned patterns of perception, values and behaviors shared by a group of people.” In a given context a particular cultural identity may be highlighted as we communicate, so we become more effective communicators as we learn to acknowledge and respond to those identities that may differ from our own. According to Martin and Nakayama, cultural differences can arise from a variety of identity dimensions: gender, sex, age, race, ethnicity, religion, class, physical ability, national and regional identity. There is also an element of power in communication as we assume roles in a societal structure, in organizations, workplaces, families, and relationships. The extent to which a hierarchy operates depends on the values of a cultural group. Along with these building blocks of intercultural communication, the norms and rituals of a cultural group are expressions of their beliefs and values. In service at the end of life, at a time of great vulnerability and tenderness, a Death Doula exercises a deep awareness of cultural differences and the competency to adapt when needed. We can encounter differences in perception, values, communication styles, and norms.
As an example scenario, my client John has a high-power distance cultural value but his son, Matt, who is dying from terminal melanoma, has a low-power distance cultural value. John believes Matt’s wife is not being strict enough with their six-year-old son when he doesn’t want to go in and see his father on his deathbed. John believes the mother should have better discipline, and force the son to show respect to his father by going in and seeing him. Matt, who has low power distance is becoming furious with his father for his disciplinary approach at such a time. This is a realistic example of an intercultural conflict, rooted in age identity, which affects the shaping of cultural values. John’s generation grew up believing that children should respect their elders, which is a high-power distance cultural value. If my role as a Doula is to be a mediator between my dying client and his family, I can be much more effective when I am prepared for intercultural differences such as this one.
Sources cited:
Martin, J. & Nakayama, T. (2021) Experiencing Intercultural Communication an Introduction. (7th ed.) New York: McGraw-Hill
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