PowerPoint Summary of:

Culture and Conflict

Copyright 2006-2007 The Beyond Intractability Project
Beyond Intractability is a Registered Trademark of the University of Colorado

PowerPoint Summary of:

Culture and Conflict

Slide 2:

Culture shapes our

Perceptions

Judgments

Ideas of oneself and others

Each of us belongs to multiple

cultures
Though powerful, culture often
operates unconsciously

PowerPoint Summary of:

Culture and Conflict

Slide 3:

Cultural Messages
are what everyone in a group
knows that outsiders dont
Consist of:
Starting points: assumptions,
where we start our assessments
of a situation
Currencies: those things we care
about that influence and shape
our interactions with others

PowerPoint Summary of:

Culture and Conflict

Slide 4:

Complications
Culture is multi-layered: What
you see on the surface may mask
differences below the surface.
Thus, cultural generalizations are
not the whole story.
Culture is in constant flux: As
conditions change, cultural
groups adapt. Thus, no
comprehensive description of a
culture can ever be formulated.
Culture is elastic: Knowing the
cultural norms of a group doesnt
predict behavior of individuals
within the group. Thus,
taxonomies are of limited use.

PowerPoint Summary of:

Culture and Conflict

Slide 5:

More Complications
Culture is largely below the
surface: It is not easy to access
because it is largely outside our
awareness. Thus, it is important
to use multiple symbolic tools to
communicate effectively.
Identities and influences vary in
importance, depending on
context: Misunderstood identities
often become more important
than others. Thus, interactive
experiences should be pursued to
limit misunderstandings.

PowerPoint Summary of:

Culture and Conflict

Slide 6:

Cultural Fluency
means familiarity with cultures and
their dimensions

PowerPoint Summary of:

Culture and Conflict

Slide 7:

Communication Starting Points

High-context communication
--most of a message is conveyed
by the context surrounding it, not
in explicit words
Low-Context communication -emphasizes directness rather
than relying on context

PowerPoint Summary of:

Culture and Conflict

Slide 8:

Conflict Starting Points

Ways of naming, framing and
taming conflict
Naming -- refers to identifying
what is and isnt a conflict
Framing -- refers to
interpretation of a conflict
Taming -- refers to norms on
how to resolve a conflict

PowerPoint Summary of:

Culture and Conflict

Slide 9:

Ways of interpreting situations

or making starting points
For example:
Universalist cultures rely on
rules and laws
Particularist cultures consider
exceptions and context

PowerPoint Summary of:

Culture and Conflict

Slide 10:

Specific cultures examine specific

situations, details, and outcomes
Diffuse cultures look at patterns,
large-scale processes, and the
big picture

PowerPoint Summary of:

Culture and Conflict

Slide 11:

Inner-directed cultures see virtue

in individual achievements,
whereas
Outer-directed cultures see virtue
in relationships and process

PowerPoint Summary of:

Culture and Conflict

Slide 12:

Time can be see as synchronous

(cyclical) or
Sequential (linear)

PowerPoint Summary of:

Culture and Conflict

Slide 13:

Individualists

Collectivists

See themselves
as separate
individuals
They prefer:
Competition
Self-reliance
Independence
Individual
achievement
Personal
growth and
fulfillment

Group
allegiance is
most important
They prefer:
Cooperation
Filial piety
Participation
in shared
progress
Reputation of
the group