Cross-cultural relationships often seem difficult and sometimes even barely possible due to numerous differences in the worldview and the perception of objective reality by its participants. Constructivism, which allows envisioning cross-cultural interactions as the process of communicating ideas and perceiving responses through the lens of one’s socio-cultural background (Lawson, 2013). Defined as a change from the notion of learning into the perception of the global processes from the perspective of an individual, Constructivism plays a tremendous role in locating and analyzing trends in relationships between different cultures, which can also be applied to the context of the Middle East (Finnemore & Sikkink, 1998).
However, herein lies the trap of succumbing to stereotypes that have been reinforced by the application of Constructivism. Nonetheless, the issue of stereotyping can be avoided once the idea of deconstructing the social narrative and using the obtained knowledge in further discourse is introduced to the conversation.
Applying the proposed scenario to the Middle East setting, one will have to note persistence as the main property of local stereotypes. Due to the long-lasting legacy of local cultural traditions, abandoning stereotypical ideas and accepting new knowledge becomes rather challenging for residents of the Middle East, which may cause conflicts and even launch a series of confrontations between the participants of a dialogue once stereotyping takes a particularly offensive shape (Sterling-Folkner, 2006).
To address the problem of relationships in the Middle East, creating a diplomatic approach that will lead to dismantling stereotypical perceptions and ideas that each participant holds against the others will be needed. Thus, open dialogue can start as the gateway to discussing a problematic aspect of international politics and reaching an agreement. In the scenario involving communication with the Middle East, experiences that demonstrated imperialistic intentions on the side of the West will have to be accepted as the experiences that need to be processed and viewed as a relic of the past.
Western participants of the dialogue will have to use the analysis of these endeavors as the means of gaining an understanding of the Middle East’s current position that may show suspicion and disbelief concerning the actual intentions of the West. In turn, it will be crucial to convince the Middle East partners that colonialist and imperialist intentions demonstrated in eth past should no longer be associated with present-day Europe or the U.S.
It is also worth noting that the wars that the Middle East had to partake in shaped the national identity of its residents significantly, constructing their understanding of political and socioeconomic relationships, as well as determining their attitudes toward their past opponents. For instance, Lawson (2013) notes that, apart from several states that have managed to evade the damaging and long-lasting impact of Western colonialism, for the entirety of the Middle East, “the inter-war years were a period of national self-definition within the boundaries of the new states and a battle for self-determination against the colonial powers” (Lawson, 2013, p. 52). Thus, compromise and cooperation have to be seen as the grounds for future steps in the international dialogue in the political arena.
To avoid highlighting the features that reinforce the influence of harmful and long-lasting stereotypes defining the perception of the Middle East residents in the present-day context, one will need to deploy Constructivism as the basis for learning and gaining cultural insights from a conversation. Using Constructivism as the means of isolating the factors that make the Middle East culture different from the western one will allow one to define the specifications of the perception of objective reality that the Middle East culture provides. As a result, strategies for bridging the two cultures will be created.
The Constructivist framework will also help to manage some of the sociocultural aspects that represent an emotionally challenging issue to address. Specifically, the footprint that Colonialism left on the history of the Middle East can be analyzed and approached from a rational perspective, thus leading to an objective and reasonable discourse (Lawson, 2013).
The incorporation of the Constructivist principles will allow challenging the social stereotypes that people may have about the residents of the Middle East, as well as assist the latter in developing a more trustful attitude toward the representative of the Western culture. Pointing out the development that both cultures have experienced and the current focus on peaceful negotiations, one will be able to address the specified hurtful aspect of the relationships between the Western world and the Middle East.
Offering an approach toward deconstructing the nature and essence of stereotypes associated with the Middle East and its residents, as well as giving insight into the problem of cross-cultural communication, the Constructivist theoretical perspective can help to explain the patterns in Middle Eastern international relationships. Moreover, Constructivism as a theoretical framework will guide one toward an improved and updated strategy for building cross-cultural ties and establishing collaboration between the West and the Middle East.
Therefore, the specified philosophy can and should be incorporated into the diplomatic strategies to be used when negotiating and communicating with the representatives of the Middle East culture. As long as the presence of complicated history is acknowledged and accepted, the challenges of reconciling with the emotional impact thereof can be managed, and the focus may shift toward the further development of political relationships.
References
Finnemore, M., & Sikkink, K. (1998). International norm dynamics and political change. International Organization, 52(4), 887-917.
Lawson, F. (2013). Alliances and regionalism in the Middle East. In L. Fawcett, International relations of the Middle East (3rd ed.) (pp. 37-59). Oxford, UK: OUP.
Sterling-Folkner, J. (2006). Making sense of international relations theory. Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc.: Boulder, CO.