Welcome to the third module. This module will require at least 30 minutes of your time and includes 2 videos.
Empathy & Dialogue
Dialogue is a "conversation with a center but no sides" (William Isaacs, 1999). When studying abroad, it's easy to see the world in terms of borders. It is easy to see the differences and separation between "home" and "abroad" and between "us" and "them." In order to engage with others beyond these (often artificial) boundaries, empathy is key.
Sympathy and Empathy are fundamentally different. While a sympathetic individual will conclude in the end "We're all the same, after all," an empathetic individual will conclude "We're all different, and I'm okay with that." While sympathy causes us to understand others' opinions and hardships on our own terms, empathy understands others' "terms" as well.
Engaging with another person through empathy is the action of stepping outside of the comfort zone.
Interested in testing out empathy? The Sam Richards TED talk below offers a mental empathy exercise. RSA Animate's version of Jeremy Rifkin's talk "The Empathetic Civilisation" provides a visual essay for the history and prospects of empathy.
Sympathy and Empathy are fundamentally different. While a sympathetic individual will conclude in the end "We're all the same, after all," an empathetic individual will conclude "We're all different, and I'm okay with that." While sympathy causes us to understand others' opinions and hardships on our own terms, empathy understands others' "terms" as well.
Engaging with another person through empathy is the action of stepping outside of the comfort zone.
Interested in testing out empathy? The Sam Richards TED talk below offers a mental empathy exercise. RSA Animate's version of Jeremy Rifkin's talk "The Empathetic Civilisation" provides a visual essay for the history and prospects of empathy.
|
|
Empathy & Dialogue in Study Abroad
Three processes in global engagement form the foundation of empathy and dialogue in study abroad.
_
_
- Developing clarity of positioning: This refers to reappraisal of how “voices” are situated within “vectors of time, space, and social power” (Sage 2004). In developing clarity of positioning, an understanding of self expands to include not only self-perception but also the perception of ourself by others. Additionally, we critically examine the existing influence of large social structures and the meaning of complicity and participation in them. Developing clarity of positioning is characterized by a recurring realization of human interconnectedness and the impulse for engagement
- Dismantling mental boundaries: A singular worldview is reconsidered to support and understand others’ worldviews. This process is essentially a transition from sympathetic to empathetic interaction. Rather than seeking to understand others on our own “terms,” we seek to understand them on their own “terms.”
- Acting upon an understanding of mutuality and reciprocity: The process of transformation is not meant to be enacted in solitude; we must collaborate with others to be mutually accountable and mutually beneficial citizens as part of the process of creating equalizing and just organizational structures. This is the vehicle for wider social change through individual transformation.
According to William Isaacs, author of Dialogue: The Art of Thinking Together:
“Dialogue is a conversation in which people think together in relationship. Thinking together implies that you no longer take your own position as final. You relax their grip on certainty and listen to the possibilities that result simply from being in a relationship with others--possibilities that might not otherwise have occurred." During your study abroad experience, reflect on what parts allow you to engage authentically and reciprocally with other people. Oftentimes, when abroad, people become trapped in the role of "consumer" or "tourist." This is an outcome of both the student's actions and priorities, as well as the ways that they are perceived by local people. When you are trapped in the role of "consumer" or "tourist," the lens through which you can engage with the host culture is narrow. Your mind thinks in terms of exchange rates and you are most comfortable when surrounded by your fellow foreigners. The problem with being only a consumer and/or tourist will be explained in the next section. For now, just understand that acting as a consumer/tourist will limit your interaction with local people. This is problematic as engaging with local people can be powerful: |
|
“What’s particularly interesting about Dialogue is that it is not just a way of making people feel connected. It has a generative power. Powerful new perspectives seem to spring unbidden from the simple act of suspending judgment and looking for points of contact in ideas that at first feel alien to us. And these perspectives often lead to tangible results – fresh ways of expressing ourselves, innovative projects, or novel modes of organizing” (Nilsson, 2007).
Take a breather...
No, really. Just breathe. No questions. :) This section is less about thinking and more about doing!
Get a cup of chai, mate, coffee, wine... whatever is the local fix. Now sit back and check out these 10 tips for study abroad. Pick 1 to start tomorrow.
Get a cup of chai, mate, coffee, wine... whatever is the local fix. Now sit back and check out these 10 tips for study abroad. Pick 1 to start tomorrow.
Tips for Study Abroad participants on Empathy & Dialogue
- Resist the urge to "consume" your experience. Find non-monetary ways to enjoy the value of being abroad. Ambition to see only the "Oldest," "Most Famous," or "Top 5" sites may get in the way of a truly interesting experience of daily life.
- Find a way that you can get outside of your comfort zone. The most common one is learning a new language, and making an effort to communicate with others directly in it. This will likely get local people out of their comfort zone as well!
- Stay put. Take the next weekend to stay in your city and be present there. Rather than rushing off to another destination, or making exciting plans with other American students, spend an evening hanging out at your home or chilling around your neighborhood. Must be present to win! If you're out of town, you'll miss opportunities to engage with others.
- Be a "yes" person.
- Plan to make the global local. Find ways to get involved with topics that interest you abroad when you get back, whether it's through IS, keeping in touch with friends from abroad, or getting involved in the local community.
- Use your mental camera. Sometimes the easiest way to make someone lose interest in talking to you is to put an expensive piece of technology in front of your face see them through a viewfinder! Try a handshake instead. You may not have their face immortalized on your hard drive, but you may remember the conversation forever. A good rule: if you don't know their name, don't take their picture.
- At a loss for conversation topics? If you're studying a language (and even if you're not) a great way to get involved is to ask your host family members or local friends for suggestions on music and books. When you find a local song you enjoy, download the lyrics and translate or read them while listening to the song. You'll be singing along in no time! Asking your host mom for a good book to read (even at your 8th grade reading level) will give you the opportunity to share a special interest with her and you can ask her questions when you get confused!
- De-Facebook your mental/emotional status. Boiling down your time abroad into 140 characters or less will not only water down your experience for you, but it will give others an unrealistic understanding of your time abroad. If documentation is important to you, do it privately, rather than publicly. You'll be freed from the drive to represent your experience to the at-home peanut gallery and regain a sense of personal accountability.
- When you get back, you may be seen as an authority on your host culture destination. Fracture the "Single Story" by qualifying your comments -- start with "In my experience," for example. Seek diversity of thought and experience during your time abroad, and make sure it is a part of your analysis both there and at home.
10. Fill in the blank: Starting tomorrow, _______________________________________________!
So what's up with consumerism and tourism anyway?