SGTM 5 B

Attitudes & Behaviour

“Cultural Awareness”

SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES

TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 Structure of Presentation

 What is Culture?
 Understanding Cultural differences
 Dealing with Cultural differences
 Case studies

SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES

TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 Culture

A shared system of
 meanings,
 beliefs,
 values
 behaviours

through which experience is

interpreted and carried out
SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES
TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 Culture Is ..

 Relative
 Learned
 Collective
 Changes over time
 Complex responsive process

SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES

TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 Forces Shaping Individual
Culture
Urbanization Nationalism Colonisation
Education

Migration
Industrialization
Personal
Minority
Experience Culture Social
background
Values
World-views
Cross-
Beliefs Ethnic
cultural
background
Adjustments Behaviours

Profession
Religion
Gender Language
SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES
TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 Dangers!

 Stereotypes

 Prejudice

 Ethno-centric perspectives

SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES

TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 Culture – In Peace Operations

Military – Military Civilians –

(International) Civilians
(International)
CULTURE
Military – Civilians International
(Organizational) actors Local
communities
Local
Communities

SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES

TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 Understanding Cultural
differences
Eating habits

 Asia - chop sticks

 Europe - knife and fork
 Clean right hand in some
countries
 Common plate
SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES
TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 Understanding Cultural
differences
Eating habits

 Beef
 Pork
 Horse
 “Everything that moves”

SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES

TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 Understanding Cultural
differences
Eating habits

 Pork not eaten by Muslims for

religious reasons
 Christians keep horses, dogs
and cats as pets
 Fish is neutral
SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES
TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 Understanding Cultural
differences
Religion

 Religion – an important place in

many societies
 Knowledge of religion of host
nation very important
 Respect religious beliefs
SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES
TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 Understanding Cultural
differences
Family and Gender

 Elders are highly respected in

some cultures
 Understand family ties
 Different gender beliefs and
views
SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES
TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 Understanding Cultural
differences
Communication

 Language is culture specific

 Avoid use of idiomatic
expressions
 Humour

SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES

TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 Understanding Cultural
differences
Body Language

 Gesture/body language have

different meanings
 Smile will never be misunderstood
 Polite handshake is accepted in most
cultures

SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES

TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 Understanding Cultural
differences
Dress Code

 Depends on culture, customs,

traditions and climate
 Adapt to local customs

SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES

TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 Understanding Cultural
differences
Traffic

 Peacekeeper die in traffic

accidents
 Different traffic conditions
 Respect local traffic laws
 Adapt to local conditions
SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES
TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 Understanding Cultural
differences
Time

 People have different concept of

time
 Need to understand
 “You have the clock, we have the
time”
SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES
TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 Building Cultural Awareness

 Understand your own culture

 Understand and accept logic of
other cultural frameworks
 Cultural differences as unique
and creative problem-solving
opportunity
SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES
TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 Host Country’s Culture

 Knowledge of history, culture,

customs and traditions
 Background for the conflict
 Expectations from “Blue Berets”

SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES

TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 Cultural Shock

 Unfamiliar:
– Language
– Climate
– Currency
– Road signs
– Colleagues
 Adaptation process

SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES

TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 The Adaptation Stages

 Honeymoon
 Initial confrontation
 Adjustment crisis
 Recovery

SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES

TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 The Adaptation Stages

STAGE SITUATION APPROACH REACTION

Excitement;
First exciting
Curiosity;
Honeymoon contact with Observe
Slight
new culture
concern

Confusion;
First intensive Solve Mystified
Initial
feeling with problems in about;
confrontation
new culture familiar ways Others
behaviour
SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES
TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 The Adaptation Stages

STAGE SITUATION APPROACH REACTION

Frustration;
Experimentation
Adjustment Problems Anger;
with new
crisis intensify behaviours Confusion
about

New New culture is

Sense of
strategies to understandable
belonging to
Recovery help one ;
culture Enjoying many
function
emerges aspect of it
effectively
SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES
TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 Maintaining Good Relations

 Between military and civilian

 With other military contingents
 Team work

SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES

TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 Cultural Awareness

“If you are

 Humble
 Respectful
 Friendly

you will always be fine”

SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES
TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 Case Studies

 The market place

 The toilet experience
 To walk hand in hand
 Movement control at the airport
 The gift

SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES

TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 Summary

 Cultural awareness is increased by

giving you the most common
examples
 This is the first step to handle
cultural differences positively, avoid
conflicts due to misperception and to
make you interact positively with
host cultures
SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES
TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 Summary

 Closely related to “Code of

Conduct”, where you get written
rules.
 In culture you may find few written
rules, but make sure, you know and
obey them

SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES

TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO
 Questions ?

SGTM 1.1@30JUNE03 TES

TES // Mil
Mil Div
Div // DPKO
DPKO