Do Individual Cultures Really Matter in a Globalized World? : The Role of Culture in Community Empowerment and Interventions

Workshop Presentation
Catherine May Cannon  

We live in a globalized world. It is easy to assume, especially when working in urban centers with people from a variety of cultures, that greater cultural access and awareness and has caused greater cultural understanding. However, specifically in the field of community development, cultural differences between practitioners and the communities they desire to serve are incredibly pronounced—particularly relating to power dynamics and identity—which influences how development projects are implemented. When one does not fully understand power dynamics in a community it is easy to force one’s own views onto communities that are already marginalized. Using Hofstede et al.’s cultural indexes of power distance and individualism-collectivism, and stories from Catherine’s research and experience in Indonesia, this highly interactive workshop will help participants better understand their own cultural lens and that of the people they desire to serve. It will then provide opportunities for participants to discuss specific ways they can adapt their development practices to be culturally aware of the power dynamics of a given community. The session will involve various participatory learning activities to take the theoretical understanding of culture and provide practical and tangible ways for it to apply to their specific contexts.