2 Ingrid Piller on culture
In the following section you will be presented with three examples of concepts of culture that Ingrid Piller describes in her book Intercultural communication: A critical introduction. Ingrid Piller is an Australia-based Professor of Applied Linguistics. She has published books on Intercultural Communication and Multilingualism that are widely read by scholars around the world. She is also the editor of the online blog Language on the move, which you should definitely check out!
In the examples below, culture is invoked differently depending on the contexts. What this means will be illustrated with examples from the contexts of tourism marketing, international business travel and government communications. You’ll be presented with text excerpts for each context, and after reading them you’ll try to assign one of the following labels to each example:
a.culture as a national asset
b.culture as challenge
c.culture as citizenship.
Activity _unit2.3.1 Activity 3
Tourism marketing
Nowadays, each country uses dedicated websites as marketing tools (for example, visitiran.ir [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)] or canana.ca). These websites provide country-related news and are part of the branding of a country geared towards an audience that has an interest in travelling to the country, either for leisure or on business. The following lists are headings that Ingrid Piller found in the ‘culture’ section of two tourist marketing websites for Ecuador and Russia. Have a look at them and consider the question below.
The ‘culture’ link on Ecuador.com takes the reader to these subheadings:
- History of Ecuador
- Ecuador flag
- Language in Ecuador
- Translation
- Ecuador music
- Ecuador dress
- Ecuador cuisine
- Art in Ecuador
- Sport in Ecuador
- Events in Ecuador
- Ecuador recipes
- Ecuador money
- Shopping in Ecuador
- Ecuador newspapers
- History of Ecuador [yes, again]
- Ecuador radio
- Ecuador television.
On Russia.com ‘culture’ comprises these headings:
- Art galleries
- Russian theatres
- Language
- Newspapers
- Art in Russia
- Russian money
- Russian recipes
- Russian radio
- Russian TV.
a.
1. Culture as a national asset
b.
2. Culture as challenge
c.
3. Culture as citizenship
The correct answer is a.
Answer
The headings from Russia.com and Ecuador.com reflect an understanding of ‘culture as a national asset’. This understanding is usually linked to ‘high culture’ – the arts, (often classical or traditional) music, or theatre – but also to ‘popular culture’: folklore and customs. ‘Country facts’ like official languages, flags and symbols, national currency and popular media outlets are also included.
The excerpt below is an example of how culture is invoked in travel advisories. Piller used for this example www.internationalsos.com. This includes the provision of ‘customised, destination-specific briefings containing important security, medical and cultural information’. Have a read through the example below and try to answer the same question as above:
General Advice
Conversations with Brazilians, as with other Latin Americans, may take place at a much closer physical distance than travellers are accustomed to in their home countries. Avoid making the sign of thumb and forefinger forming a circle with other fingers pointing up, known as the ‘okay’ sign in some nations; it has an obscene meaning. If entertained in a home, flowers and a thank you note sent the following day are appropriate. Do not send purple flowers, as this signifies mourning. Brazilians shake hands when greeting and leaving. A souvenir from the visitor’s home country is an acceptable gift of appreciation. Casual clothing is acceptable. The Catholic Church is an important part of Brazilian society.
Business
Both men and women shake hands when meeting and departing. Women will often exchange kisses with one another by placing their cheeks together and kissing the air. The pace of negotiations may be slow; developing a personal relationship is important. The best time to call a Brazilian executive is between 1000–1200 and 1500–1700. Business is usually not discussed during a meal and will only begin after coffee is served. Business dress for women is important and should be conservative. Manicured nails are also considered very important.
Tipping
It is customary to tip 10% for most services. Gas station attendants, barbers, and restaurant servers receive tips regularly. Parking assistants expect around BRL1. Taxi drivers do not expect tips; however, many people typically round up the fare as a tip.
Business Hours
Mon–Fri: 0830–1730.
(Piller, 2017, p. 11–12)
a.
1. Culture as a national asset
b.
2. Culture as challenge
c.
3. Culture as citizenship
The correct answer is b.
Answer
The right answer here is ‘culture as challenge’. Practical ‘country facts’ and advice on interpersonal relationships and non-verbal communication are provided. Standards of physical proximity, gift giving, dress codes or greetings are listed to avoid offending individuals of another nationality.
a.
1. Culture as a national asset
b.
2. Culture as challenge
c.
3. Culture as citizenship
The correct answer is c.
Answer
This last example reflects ‘culture as citizenship’. Scholars quoted in this article argue that sexual orientation was strategically linked to national culture to fulfil a political goal. According to them, a hegemonic notion of ‘Russian culture’ is invoked against equal rights of other citizens based on a particular identity, in this case sexual identity (Hegemony refers to the domination of one group over another. Hegemonic notion or structures refer to actions that reinforce power and control of the state or the ruling class.). Minorities everywhere that engage in different practices to the majority are often discriminated against on the basis of culture: in such cases, their ethnicity, religion or dress codes are depicted as conflicting with or rejecting ‘our’ culture.