Society for Intercultural Education, Training and Research

The Courage to Converse: The Role of Culture in Conflict and Crisis Events

Dr. Hammer opened the conference with a keynote speech about “Courageous Conversations”. He challenged us to bring forth the courage to face ‘ground truth’. This refers to the accuracy between what we say is happening and what is actually happening in the room.

He talked about a conversation with people in the military who are acknowledging their knowing about how to win in a conflict, yet not knowing how to win in peace. With an executive branch who does not acknowledge the importance of intercultural effectiveness.

Challenges to Difficult Dialogues

Often when we create training, we create training about cultural differences. Yet what we are being asked for is how to apply intercultural insights in specific settings. Dr Hammer challenged us to expand what we are doing, to help move beyond awareness to specific skills that help people with the challenges they face.

When we reach the ground truth of day to day situations, we need to be prepared to have difficult dialogues.

Dialogue of the difficult is also about violence

We can’t avoid the impact of violence in our professional lives. We use experiential techniques like trust walks and guided visualizations that can activate memories for people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or other histories of violence.

The priorities in many schools and study abroad programs has become maintaining a safe environment, taking priority over academics. Yet, we have not done a good job protecting, preparing, or following up with students who have suffered violence abroad.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has done an extensive analysis of violence around the world. 1.6 million people die as a result every year.

• 50% are suicides
• 33% are homicides
• 20% are from group violence

At many steps along the way toward violence there are missed opportunities for conversation.

What do we do?

• Be open to the story we all have to tell
• Listen with the heart and mind before judging
• Recognize our tendency is to avoid rather than engage in difficult conversation
• There is a world of hurt, but we can be a part of the healing process
• The what (substantive issues) of a difficult conversation is not only what the conversation is really about

Courageous Conversations are about the ground truth:

Substantive concerns (what you and I want/desire/need/aspire)

Attunement (trust and affiliation toward one another)

Face (our joint need to have our self image validated)

Emotional Distress (strong feelings that often accompany difficult dialogues need to be understood)

If you attended the session, what stood out for you? Responses?