Cultivating Cultural Competence
Three researchers from three very different sectors of Israeli society worked together to compose a guide to cross-cultural sensitivity and competence in academia.
In recent years, BGU has been enrolling increasing numbers of students from minority groups with diverse cultural, social, and economic backgrounds. A joint initiative by three researchers has resulted in a unique guidebook to help the University’s administrative and academic staff interact with its diverse students rationally and respectfully.
The guide’s authors, Prof. Sarah Abu-Kaf (a clinical psychologist at the Conflict Management and Resolution Program), Dr. Tehila Kalagy (a member of the Department of Public Policy and Management), and Efrat Yardai (a sociology doctoral student at Tel Aviv University) believe that the characteristics of academic space have real impact in the encounter with minority students.
They explain that “this space shapes the overall environment at the institution as well as the quality of the cross-cultural encounters that take place within it. This quality can be measured using the experiences of the various sides involved in the encounter and their sense of connection and belonging to academic space.”
Prof. Abu-Kaf, Dr. Kalagy and Yardai are themselves respective members of three different segments of Israel’s population – Bedouin, Haredi, and Ethiopian – and their own experiences in academia have highlighted that cross-cultural encounters can be very uncomfortable, and sometimes even frustrating, for both sides. Prof. Abu-Kaf explains: “Very often, these encounters require attention and significant effort, but it’s important to view them as an opportunity to improve one’s interpersonal and social skills; and especially as an opportunity to develop social and cultural competencies, to improve students’ skills in conducting themselves in academic space.”
Dr. Kalagy adds: “poor advanced knowledge, or lack of skills and competency in assessing situations can lead, at best, to ineffective conduct, and at worst, to the exacerbation of existing problems. Interactions with students that are not ‘sensitive culturally’ can lead to poor student performance and even drop-out.”
Doctoral student Efrat Yardai added her own insights: “The guidebook deals both with increasing understanding and knowledge, and with providing basic tools for responding in the context of student and staff culture.”
The guidebook does not provide clear-cut, unambivalent solutions to complex problems, but it does provide staff members with a set of tools that will help them evaluate a situation and ask the right questions regarding the diverse population they interact with in their work. “Since every cultural group is itself diverse, it is best to approach each case on its own merits, based on what we know about the student and his or her unique social and family circles,” explains Prof. Abu-Kaf.
The project was quite labor intensive, striving as it did to address as many issues as possible for each group. It resulted in significant insights as well: During their encounter with students from minority groups, it is vital that staff members adopt an open-minded approach that is respectful of the differences and desires of everyone involved. “Therefore, it is best to be non-judgmental; not to privilege one perspective over another. Such an approach encourages people from diverse backgrounds to continue to express themselves in class and throughout academic space. In sum, to enhance one’s cross- cultural sensitivity and competency, we recommend adopting a position of curiosity - a true desire to learn and understand.”
Adapted from an article in issue 133 of Aleph-Bet-Gimmel, the University’s Hebrew language magazine. For the original article.
