Barbara L. JonesCommunity Dispute Resolution Specialist, Faculty InstructorCenter for Peace and Conflict StudiesWayne State UniversityMarch 7, 2019

Graduate and Postdoctoral Professional Development (GPPD) Seminar: Cultural Sensitivity

Barbara L. Jones

Introductions

https://clasprofiles.wayne.edu/profile/du1279

- Sources and Drivers of Conflict- Culture, Diversity, Inclusion (definitions)- Activity/Exercises (1)- Implicit Bias, Stereotypes, Explicit Bias

(definitions & videos)- Communication approaches- Conflict management strategies- Discussion/Dialogue (Q&A)

Today’s discussion:

- Recognize and identify implicit bias.

- Overcome barriers and attain skills ineffective communication strategies that intersect with cultural sensitivity.

- Mitigate conflicts and threats along the lines of gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, etc.

- Promote cultural diversity that supports positive interpersonal and inter-group relationships.

Learning Outcomes

Cross The Line Activity

Culture is defined as a set of values, practices, traditions and/or beliefs a group shares, whether due to age, race or ethnicity, religion, gender or social group.

What is culture?

The external, or conscious, part of culture is what we can see and is the tip of the iceberg and includes behaviors and some beliefs.

The internal, or subconscious, part of culture is below the surface of a society and includes some beliefs and the values and thought patterns that underlie behavior.

There are major differences between the conscious and unconscious culture.

What is culture?

Diversity is the range of human differences, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, social class, physical ability or attributes, religious or ethical values system, national origin, and political beliefs.

What is diversity?

Inclusion is involvement, engagement and empowerment, where the inherent worth and dignity of all people are recognized.

What is inclusion?

Implicit bias exists when people unconsciously hold attitudes toward others or associate stereotypes with them.

What is implicit bias?

What Would You Do? Bike Theft

We all have implicit biases. So what can we do about it? | Dushaw Hockett | TEDxMidAtlanticSalonhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKHSJHkPeLY

What is CONFLICT?

Natural expressions of tension arising from real or perceived differences.

What are types of CONFLICT?

Within people (Self, individual, intrapersonal).

Between people (interpersonal).

Within groups (intragroup).

Between groups (intergroup).

Sources of CONFLICTCultural/Diversity Conflict

• Sense of community (real world conflict)• Race/Class conflict (city & suburb)• Intergenerational• Intersectionality• Fear/Hate• Religious/Churches (data, structural, resources,

time, organizational, values)• Young vs. Old• Language• Identities (Dominant, Excluded, Marginalized

Oppressed)

CONFLICT involves:

Emotions & Feelings

• Fears

• Anger

• Distrust

• Disappointment

• Frustration

• Confusion

• Worry

• Time

How We Make A Difference In Conflict

Situations

We work on our behaviors, emotions,

relationships, communication,

agreements, structure.

We do this by processes by and/or of our:

§ - Thoughts • - Experiences • - Senses: GUT, CORE

Strategies to Manage CONFLICT

• Listen – peel the onion (people like to be heard)

• After listening, summarize back what you understand to be

the speaker’s perspective not passing judgement

• Collaborative problem solving

• Seek an interventionist/mediator/facilitator

• Conflict cannot be resolved through avoidance

• Establish the facts

• Confront to issue and not the person

• Empathize

• Practice forgiveness

Take Home Message

• Be willing to take the time to understand the other individual culture and group culture.

• Develop and maintain a great attitude

• Identify the problem or issue within yourself, internal and external

• Deal with the offense as soon as possible

• Build peaceful, respectful and healthy ways to resolve conflict.

• To deal with conflict productively, we have to have the courage to move beyond these differences.

Take Home Message

• As one spends more time in that new culture, the underlying beliefs, values, and thought patterns that dictate that behavior will be uncovered with awareness and understanding.

• Don’t operate in blame and shame, instead learn, teach and embrace.

• Speak with each other using the word “and” insteadof “but”. Think dichotomously in communicating.

Project Implicit is a non-profit organization and international collaboration between researchers who are interested in implicit social cognition - thoughts and feelings outside of conscious awareness and control. The goal of the organization is to educate the public about hidden biases and to provide a “virtual laboratory” for collecting data.

https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/

Sign up and take the test to analyze your implicit bias

Barbara L. Jones

Community Dispute Resolution Specialist, Faculty Instructor

Center for Peace and Conflict Studies

Wayne State University

barbaraljones@wayne.edu

313-577-3518

Graduate and Postdoctoral Professional Development (GPPD) Seminar: Cultural Sensitivity

Thank You!