The Class on Cross Cultural and Conflict Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

Discussion

First, the class helped me understand the meaning of culture where it refers to a specific system of knowledge that is shared by a specific group of people which is considered as the tradition of that group of people. Some of the things that constitute the system of knowledge include; concepts of the universe, religion, experiences, roles of the members, values, meanings, and language (Fry 93). Due to these differences in ideas, values and behavior a conflict may take place. These disagreements are referred to as cultural conflict (Lansford 3). From the different and diverse cultures expressed by each student, I felt that cultural differences can be a cause of conflict.

The class also helped me understand the diversity between different cultures. All the cultures are equally important no matter how different they are from ours. However, some ideas and beliefs are shared across most cultures. If a conflict arises, a mediator is required to carry out the mediation process so as to bring harmony between the two parties. I felt that is not possible to make one cultural group conform to the ideological beliefs of the other party and thus the main importance of the dispute resolution is to create a middle ground for the different parties. Various disputes arising from people of different cultures can be solved if every person can respect and acknowledge diversity (Blank 58).

For example, I learned that in India and Saudi Arabia women adore and highly respect men. They have little or no freedom of making crucial decisions in society. Cultures in the European countries and America give almost equal respect to either gender. Women make decisions and can disagree with men. In a society where cultures interact there is a chance of conflicts taking place like the Indian and Arabic men expect such respect from women. To solve this dispute the mediator should try to understand both cultures and strike a middle ground to bring harmony and co-existence.

Lessons learned are most important for me

I learned that every individual has a responsibility to help avoid and solve disputes arising from the cultural conflict. I also learned that a good mediator should know his or her own culture (Berry 57). A good mediator should also expect other people to have different expectations and views. There is no specific solution to each conflict thus the mediator should value both parties’ ideas to formulate a conclusion.

I understood the importance of listening to other people’s experiences and views. By listening to the various experiences and practices of people from different parts of the World, I not only understood various cultures but also the reasons behind such practices. It also revealed the points of departure of different cultures. A good mediator strives to be unbiased and respect both parties at all times (Deutsch 4). Understanding other cultures make me appreciate all cultures and gain more knowledge about their practices. This enhanced my skills to be a good mediator whenever a cultural conflict arises.

In conclusion, I understood that conflict resolution is a major tool that can be used to bring harmony to the World. We should always use the differences between our ideas, cultures, and views not to discriminate against others who are different from us but to appreciate them and learn from them (Wallensteen 89).

Works Cited

Berry, Bonnie. Social Rage Emotion and Cultural Conflict. New York: Garland Pub., 1999. Print.

Blank, Stephen. Conflict, Culture, and History Regional Dimensions. Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.: Air UP, 1993. Print.

Deutsch, Morton. The Handbook of Conflict Resolution Theory and Practice. San Francisco, Calif.: Jossey-Bass, 2000. Print.

Fry, Douglas P. Cultural Variation in Conflict Resolution: Alternatives to Violence. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum, 1997. Print.

Lansford, Tom. Conflict Resolution. Detroit: Greenhaven, 2008. Print.

Wallensteen, Peter. Understanding Conflict Resolution War, Peace, and the Global System. London: SAGE Publications, 2002. Print.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2021, March 26). The Class on Cross Cultural and Conflict. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-class-on-cross-cultural-and-conflict/

Work Cited

"The Class on Cross Cultural and Conflict." IvyPanda, 26 Mar. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/the-class-on-cross-cultural-and-conflict/.

References

IvyPanda. (2021) 'The Class on Cross Cultural and Conflict'. 26 March.

References

IvyPanda. 2021. "The Class on Cross Cultural and Conflict." March 26, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-class-on-cross-cultural-and-conflict/.

1. IvyPanda. "The Class on Cross Cultural and Conflict." March 26, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-class-on-cross-cultural-and-conflict/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "The Class on Cross Cultural and Conflict." March 26, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-class-on-cross-cultural-and-conflict/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1