Intercultural Comfort through Social Practices: Exploring Conditions for Cultural Learning

Abstract

High-quality cross-ethnic interactions contribute to college students' development, but knowledge is scant concerning campus settings and conditions that promote these interactions. This study indicates that distinct social practices in particular settings create such conditions. Phenomenological analysis of current and past members of a voluntary community service association (a pseudonym), appropriated to meet their social needs, revealed practices leading students from differing ethnic backgrounds to challenge stereotypes and engage in cultural learning. Inductively derived findings led to a transdisciplinary analysis that synthesizes concepts from institutional (higher education), organizational (voluntary service organization), interpersonal (social ties), and individual (personal development) levels. The emergent concept of intercultural comfort differentiated between meaningful diversity interactions within the student association and apprehensive ones elsewhere. Members experienced this intercultural comfort and an ethnically inclusive moral order due to mission-driven practices emphasizing shared purpose, fellowship, and structured interactions.

Integrating Canadian Youth: The State of Intergroup Contact, Belonging, and Support for Immigration

“…This study found no significant relationship between the perceived percent of immigrants in schools and levels of intergroup contact, suggesting that intergroup contact is not a passive process: a diverse social environment does not necessarily lead to increased intergroup contact. This finding is supported by existing literature (Bernstein & Salipante, 2017;Janmaat, 2014;Kiehne, 2019;Robinson et al, 2020). While schools meet the requirements for positive, equal intergroup contact, only youth predisposed to, or encouraged to, initiate contact will likely experience positive effects.…”

“…The prevalence of discrimination suggests that there is a need for prejudice reduction, for both educational staff and students. Contact-based interventions may be one method for promoting positive intergroup relationships and addressing anti-immigrant and ethnic prejudices, and would require the promotion of positive contact, which does not always occur organically, even in diverse environments (Bernstein & Salipante, 2017;Kiehne, 2019).…”

Ethnocentrism and Investment in Learning English in Multicultural English Classrooms: A Study of Iranian Medical Students

“…Civil norms of tolerant but superficial interaction on campus can produce discomfort and intercultural apprehension, which in turn can hinder meaningful interaction and learning (Bernstein & Salipante, 2017). Thus, it is possible that Website: www.ijreeonline.com, Email: info@ijreeonline.com Volume 7, Number 2, June 2022 medical students with different levels of ethnocentrism could possibly feel differently about learning English in culturally diverse settings of their classrooms at university.…”