BENLAC

Group 5
1. What do you understand by cultural
diversity?
It describes the coexistence
of various cultural traditions
in a community where
members of various groups,
regardless of caste, faith,
language, religion, or race,
coexist.
TYPES OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN
THE CLASSROOM
Every student is unique. In order to properly understand and promote cultural
awareness, teachers need to understand all the different types of diversity they
may encounter in their classrooms including:
• Race
A person’s skin color can greatly impact their experience in society. It can also
impact how they view themselves and others when engaging in classroom
activities.
• Ethnicity
Ethnicity relates to a person’s culture and nationality. Ethnicity is sometimes
confused with race, but it is important to recognize that while some people may
have the same skin color, they may come from different places and have vastly
different cultural beliefs and views of the world.
• Religion
It is important to understand that people have different or no religious
beliefs, which may impact their participation in the classroom. Students
may react differently to lessons based on their religion or may not be able
to be present on certain religious holidays.
• Language
While English is commonly used in American classrooms, for some
students, it is not the language they speak at home. Accommodations
should be made to help students for whom English is a second language.
• Socioeconomic Status
A student’s socioeconomic status can affect their ability to participate in
the classroom without some type of accommodation. For instance, access
to a computer at home or reliable internet access is not a given for some
children. Teachers should be aware of this and the stress it may cause
students who may struggle due to a lack of resources.
• Sexual Orientation
A student’s sexual orientation can have a great impact on how
they are experiencing the world. Teachers should understand
the struggles that exist and ensure that the lessons taught in
their classrooms are inclusive.
• Gender Identity
Similar to sexual orientation, it is important to understand
each student’s gender identity and how they would prefer to
be recognized. Teachers should respect their student’s
identities and use preferred pronouns when interacting with
their students.
The Philippine culture is very
diverse, with over eighty
groups native to the country.
The Philippine nation
consists of twenty ethnic
states, each able in
promoting its own languages
and culture. By doing this
the Philippines will be able
to preserve and sustain its
cultural diversity.
2. What is your stand on global culture conflict?
How does it impact on social, economic, and
political aspects of a country and its
interrelations with other nations?
 Cultural conflicts can arise when
different cultures come into contact
with each other and have differing
beliefs, values, and customs. These
conflicts can have a significant impact
on social, economic, and political
aspects of a country and its relations
with other nations.
 In terms of social impacts, cultural
conflicts can lead to tensions between
different groups, as well as
discrimination and prejudice.
Politically, cultural conflicts can lead to
polarization and the emergence of extremist
groups that seek to exploit these divisions for
their own gain. This can undermine democratic
institutions and lead to instability and conflict.
In terms of interrelations between nations,
cultural conflicts can lead to tensions and mistrust
between countries. This can make it difficult to
engage in diplomacy or cooperation on shared
issues such as climate change, trade, or security.
However, it is also possible for cultural differences
to enrich global interactions by fostering cross-
cultural understanding and promoting diversity.
3. How can cultural conflict be
resolved, if not avoided?
The resolution of cross-cultural conflict begins with
identifying whether cultural issues are involved. There
are three ways of cross-cultural conflict resolution.
1. Probing for the cultural dimension. The resolution
process should start from the parties'
acknowledgment that their conflict contains a
cultural dimension. Next, there should be willingness
on all sides to deal with all conflict dimensions
including the cultural one. Third, systematic phased
work on the conflict is needed. Williams identified
four phases:
(1) the parties describe what they find offensive in each other's
behavior.

(2)they get an understanding of the other party's cultural perceptions;

(3) they learn how the problem would be handled in the culture of the
opponent;

(4) they develop conflict solutions. Resolution of the conflict is

particularly complicated if the conflict arose not just out of
misunderstanding of the other's behavior, but because of incompatible
values.
2. Learning about other cultures. People can prevent cross-cultural
conflicts by learning about cultures that they come in contact with.
This knowledge can be obtained through training programs,
general reading, talking to people from different cultures, and
learning from past experiences. Important aspects of cultural
education are understanding your own culture and developing
cultural awareness by acquiring a broad knowledge of values and
beliefs of other cultures, rather than looking at them through the
prism of cultural stereotypes.
3. Altering organizational practices and procedures.
Often the organizational structure reflects the norms of
just one culture and inherits the cultural conflict. In
such cases, structural change becomes necessary to
make the system more sensitive to cultural norms of
other people.
 4. What can you say about the existing
feud between the Philippines and China
on the issue of territorial claims?
A long-running territorial dispute over the Spratly
Islands, a collection of 7,500 islands and reefs that
several nations have claimed as their own, has led to
the confrontation between China and the Philippines in
the Western Philippine Sea (also known as the South
China Sea).
CLAIMS OF CHINA
The nine-dash line area claimed by the Republic of China
(1912–1949), later the People's Republic of China (PRC), which
covers most of the South China Sea and overlaps with the
exclusive economic zone claims of Brunei, Indonesia,
Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
CLAIMS OF PHILIPPINES
According to former Philippine President Benigno
Aquino III, "China's nine-dash line territorial claim
over the entire South China Sea is against
international laws, particularly the United Nations
Convention of the Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS)".

In Philippine law, the West Philippine Sea refers

only to the portions of the South China Sea which
the Philippine government claims to be part of
the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
CLAIMS OF PHILIPPINES

United Nations held its first Conference on the Law of

the Sea (UNCLOS I) at Geneva, Switzerland. UNCLOS I
resulted in four treaties concluded in 1958: Convention
on the Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone, entry into
force: 10 September 1964.
It comprises, inter alia, both for coastal and non-coastal
States: (1) Freedom of navigation; (2) Freedom of
fishing; (3) Freedom to lay submarine cables and
pipelines; (4) Freedom to fly over the high seas.
 5. What best initiative should be the
Philippine government do to settle such
disputes and arguments?
 Manila, facing deadlock in a dispute it
cannot resolve alone, should try to foster
cooperation by discussing issues of
common interest – such as fisheries
management, law enforcement
challenges and scientific research on
environmental problems – in formal and
informal interactions with neighboring
countries.
 Partnerships with other littoral states on joint
management of resources could serve as a stepping
stone for broader cooperation. In the interest of
peace and stability in the South China Sea, Manila
should both double down on its efforts to advance
Code of Conduct negotiations and keep up bilateral
dialogue with Beijing to sort out misunderstandings
and manage disagreements. It should, for instance,
negotiate rules of access to Scarborough Shoal,
long a source of friction with China.
 It should also strengthen risk management
mechanisms in case tensions between
claimant states or the U.S. and China increase.
None of these steps will resolve the
increasingly entrenched maritime dispute,
but they could help keep the risk low that
incidents at sea will escalate toward conflict.

China or America?
Thank you