Conceptualizations of Competence and Culture: Taking Up the Postmodern Interest in Social Interaction

Abstract

To advance the multicultural counseling (MCC) movement counselors and theorists have explored how postmodern concepts might offer meaningful new directions. To expand on these discussions this paper considers what ethnomethodology (EM), an approach that has contributed to the postmodern interest in social interaction, has to offer debates around how to conceptualize competence and culture. This goal is realized by reviewing how culture and competence have been historically conceptualized in the MCC movement and articulating the challenge posed when one takes up an EM lens. Questions are generated from this perspective and consideration given to how close examinations of counselor/client interactions provide a means for answering such questions.

Multicultural Training Experiences as Predictors of Multicultural Competencies: Students' Perspectives

“…Counselor educators committed to creating a culturally sensitive ambience within their programs can establish and work toward programmatic goals, such as integrating multicultural issues throughout the curriculum and supervision and recruiting culturally diverse faculty and students (Ponterotto et al, 1995;Pope-Davis et al, 2000). In addition, counselor educators can seek to foster and enhance interactions in the classroom and throughout the program that are responsive to different cultures (Knapik & Miloti, 2006). These ongoing interactions, in consort with other programmatic efforts to promote multiculturalism, can convey a true value for multiculturalism and create an ambience that is perceived to be culturally sensitive.…”

“…Earlier versions of this article were presented at the 2001 Annual Meeting of the North Central Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, Chicago, and the American Counseling Association 2003 Annual Convention, Anaheim, California. The authors thank Timothy Ansley for statistical consultation, Anne Helene Skinstadt for contributions in the development of the project, and Roberto Cortéz Gonzaléz and Judy Reinhartz for comments on the draft of the manuscript. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Ginger L. Dickson,Division of Educational Psychology and Special Services,University of Texas at El Paso,College of Education,Room 702,El Paso, and may limit effective implementation of culturally sensitive communication (Knapik & Miloti, 2006;Toporek, 2001). From a postmodern perspective, Taylor et al (2006) discussed the acquisition of knowledge, awareness, and skills as a starting point from which counseling students could construct multicultural competence through their ongoing relationships with clients.…”

A Synergistic Model to Enhance Multicultural Competence in Supervision

“…Several critics have voiced concerns with the MCCs (Sue et al, 1992), including the difficulty in translating the abstract concepts described in the competencies into specific interventions to be used in the counseling session. Knapik and Miloti (2006) asserted that the competencies are difficult to teach, learn, and assess within counseling relationships. Weinrach and Thomas (2004) argued that the competencies inaccurately define culture as the only determinate of behavior, focus on deficits rather than strengths, and assume race/ethnicity as a primary clinical concern whenever a person of color seeks treatment.…”

“…In addition, the intuitive nature of Bloom's Taxonomy (Bloom et al, 1956) appeals to supervisors, and the practical nature of the Taxonomy has been met with enthusiasm by supervisors who often feel at a loss for specific interventions that encourage supervisee development, particularly in the area of multicultural counselor competence. Finally, by providing a process through which the multicultural content can be delivered, the SMMS attends to some of the significant concerns that have been voiced about the MCCs (Sue et al, 1992)-namely, that they are difficult to operationalize and apply (Knapik & Miloti, 2006).…”

Career Self-Management and Development of Multicultural Knowledge and Practice: Experience of Professional Counsellors

“…The research has been limited to broad and overly general principles pertaining to the attitudes, beliefs, and skills that counsellors need to promote MCC (APA, 2017;Pederson, 2001;Sue, 2001;Sue & Sue, 2013). To date, a lack of agreement exists regarding how to prepare counsellors for working with diverse clients (Arthur, 2018;Knapik & Miloti, 2006;Manese, Wu, & Nepomuceno, 2001).…”