Intercultural learning Print

: Intercultural learning :

The process of becoming more aware of and better understanding one's own culture and other cultures around the world. The aim of intercultural learning is to increase international and cross-cultural tolerance and understanding. The learning process itself is constant movement of cultural awareness.

: Global education :

A type of education that encourages people to 'think globally and act locally'; it deals with common human values, human rights, ecology, resource distribution and development."

 : Culture :

The totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought. The predominating attitudes and behavior that characterize the functioning of a group or organization.Intellectual and artistic activity and the works produced by it.


: Identity :

The (feeling of) identity of a group or culture, or of an individual as far as she/he is influenced by her/his belonging to a group or culture. Common habits, characteristics, ideas may be clear markers of a shared cultural identity, but essentially it is determined by difference: we feel we belong to a group, and a group defines itself as a group, by noticing and highlighting differences with other groups and cultures. Identity (or ‘self') is very much a social constuction.

 : Multicultural societies :

Different cultures, national, ethnic, religious groups all living within the same territory BUT not necessarily coming into contact with each other. A society where difference is often viewed negatively and forms major justification for discrimination. Minorities may be tolerated passively, but not accepted or valued. Even in cases where there are legal rights designed to stop discrimination, the law may not be enforced uniformly

 : Intercultural societies :

Different cultures, national groups, etc. Living together within a territory, maintain open relations of interaction, exchange and mutual recognition of their own and respective values and ways of life. We are talking then about a process of active tolerance and the maintenance of equitable relations where everyone has the same importance, where there are no superiors or inferiors, better or worse people.

: Stereotypes :

A stereotype is an ensemble of characteristics that sums up a human group usually in terms of behaviour, habits, etc.


: Ethnocentrism :

Belief in the superiority of one's own ethnic group.

Ethnocentrism" is a commonly used word in circles where ethnicity, inter-ethnic relations, and similar social issues are of concern. The usual definition of the term is "thinking one's own group's ways are superior to others" or "judging other groups as inferior to one's own". "Ethnic" refers to cultural heritage , and "centrism" refers to the central starting point... so "ethnocentrism" basically refers to judging other groups from our own cultural point of view.