Continued Development

The most important thing that I feel I have learned through this class is what we learned most recently, and that is how different cultures approach conflict. I think that this is so crucial to better understanding intercultural relationships, inter-familial relationships, proxemics, and global conflict resolution. Understanding that different cultures have different approaches to conflict, different ways of dealing with intracultural conflict versus intercultural conflict, as well as different ways of using personal space seems crucial to our diverse world, even within our own backyard. By learning the different ways in which people deal with conflict, specifically in terms of dominating, integrating, compromising, obliging, and avoiding styles, I have gained a wealth of knowledge that will not only help me better understand intercultural relationships that I had previously misunderstood, but I have also learned a better way to view global political issues that arise between conflicting cultures. Understanding why certain cultural groups address conflict differently than another cultures is definitely eye opening, and makes me feel as though my understanding of the global political arena has increased by leaps and bounds. Additionally, understanding that gender adds an additional layer to intercultural relationships and conflicts has helped me see that understanding intercultural relationships isn't just about different ethnic backgrounds, but it is also about gender relationships as well. Understanding all of these contexts will definitely help me develop better intercultural relationships and help me understand how to best approach conflict within the contexts of those relationships.

Using this new understanding of varying approaches to conflict within intercultural relationships has made me want nothing more than to further my education on intercultural conflict resolution. One of the main reasons I would like to create a plan to further this agenda is because I still think there is a long way to go in repairing the relationships between "white" culture and those that have been oppressed by this "white" culture throughout history. Gaining a better understanding of how other cultures approach conflict resolution has helped me devise the following plan:
1. Understand all cultural ramifications when an intercultural conflict arises. This not only must address ethnic differences, but also gender differences and class differences.
2. Be more open to discussing conflict resolution with other cultures when the occasion presents itself. This means being mindful of the impact of all factors: ethnic, gender, class, etc.
3. Actively continue my intercultural education, whether through college classes or through independent research on my own.
4. Actively seek intercultural relationships in order to open the channels of communication.
5. Actively approach discussions of intercultural conflict with an integrating style so as to further the cause of fairness and equality, no matter how many road blocks get in the way. This must also include discussions of the impact of "white privilege" on intercultural relationships and how to overcome this entrenched system of hierarchy within society.
6. Be open to any intercultural conflict, seeing conflict as a way of developing relationships, not destroying them, but also being aware and respectful of those cultures that see conflict as destructive and choose to use an avoiding style of conflict resolution.

This plan is pretty broad-based, but it was created with the intent of fostering an openness to whatever the future may hold. One thing that this plan does well is continue to help me develop further intercultural skills, especially those relating to conflict resolution. I wanted this plan to be open enough to fit inter-gender relationships under the definition of intercultural relationships, since this will be more likely to present itself within the context of the UWRF campus. I think that understanding that culture is not just ethnicity but also gender, sex, class, education, politics, religion, etc. is crucial to being open to all intercultural experiences.

Questions:
1. How likely is it that you will apply what you have learned within your community?
2. How likely is it that you will actively seek out intercultural experiences if they do not readily present themselves to you?