Practical Suggestions for Preventing Conflicts through a Better Understanding of Culture and Differences: Tips, Anecdotes, and the Impact of Public Events

J. Martin Ramírez*

Practical Suggestions for Preventing Conflicts through a Better Understanding of Culture and Differences: Tips, Anecdotes, and the Impact of Public Events.

The ambiguity and complexity of the notion of conflict and our lack of understanding of its nature often leads to inadequate and unappropriate reactions to it. In other words, a better understanding of it will pave the way to non-coercitive solutions and give rise to the possibility of dialogue in its stead. Learning about the cultures, customs and religions of our neighbours helps us to understand them better. Encouraging ourselves and others to take the opportunity to cross borders in
order to engage, learn from, and listen to how various ethnic groups negotiate and translate their histories, differences, and voices within and across an over-arching polity

The main purpose of the present article is to offer a pragmatic approach, based on personal experiences in cross-cultural research,7-10 by sharing some tips, anecdotes, and the eventual impact on public events. Hopefully some of these personal hints might serve professionals and other readers interested in promoting a better dialogue between different cultures thus going a little way towards solving conflicts, preventing violence, and achieving peace through tolerance.

In this context, fostering visits by young people to foreign countries is an essential element in the effort to strengthen mutual understanding among different civilizations, because
these ‘well travelled’ youth later might hold leading positions in their own countries: government, university, law practices, nonprofit organizations, art, culture.

An encouragement for the learning of foreign languages through a variety of activities, such as theatre plays, karaoke, or films in original version with subtitles, may also contribute to
a better understanding and tolerance among people of different linguistic and cultural origin. A macro-policy against discrimination orchestrated by the government is not enough.

 

Psychol Cogn Sci Open J. 2015; 1(1): 10-14. doi: 10.17140/PCSOJ-1-102

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