Cultural Competence EssayThis research paper will be 5 typed, double-spaced pages in length and present library research addressing cultural competence on our society. The paper will demonstrate correct use of MLA-style citations, drawing from at least five library database sources. Plan on retrieving your sources exclusively from databases in the CSUF library. You must incorporate the following journal article in your paper: Waddell/Pipitone, Benjamin/R. /Nathan. “American society teaches everyone to be racist – but you can rewrite subconscious stereotypes.” Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale,2021. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/YDJYRH852495402/OVIC?u=csuf_main&sid=OVIC&xid=d3 b1c4a7 Accessed 4 Apr. 2021. Originally published as “American society teaches everyone to be racist – but you can rewrite subconscious stereotypes,” The Conversation, 17 Sept. 2020.Once you have read and understood this article, this essay prompt, and the attached handout, Key Components of Cultural Competence, do some research to decide on the specific focus of your paper. Although this article points to one clear direction (., American society perpetuates racism but we, as a culture, can change that), there are other interesting directions for this essay. For example, your essay can focus on the effects of not addressing inequities and not being a culturally competent individual, or your essay can address the difference between discrimination and stigma. These are just some examples of concepts that your essay can address. The choice of focus for this essay is up to you, as long as you incorporate the article above and some concepts from the attached handout. Remember that this assignment prompt asks you to focus on cultural competence, or lack thereof, in society. This should be easy considering the racial problems surrounding our contemporary society (., Black Lives Matter, Asian hate crimes, etc.) Assignment Guidelines: ?The paper must be 5 pages long consisting of focused, well-developed body paragraphs. ?Use in-text citations as a foundation for detailed, supporting points. ?The central argument of your essay should be established by an assertive, debatable thesis statement. Please use MLA format. KEY COMPONENTS OF CULTURAL COMPETENCE Cultural competence is characterized by a set of skills, behaviors, perspectives, and principles that together indicate an understanding of cultural diversity across and within groups. Culturally competent individuals are able to work effectively across cultural contexts by integrating and applying knowledge about individuals and groups of people into specific practices and attitudes that are responsive to the needs of culturally diverse populations. Cultural Understandings There are explicit (., rules, music and dance) and implicit (., eye contact, physical space) dimensions of cultural groups. Norms, values, expectations, and traditions may be socialized in explicit (verbal, formal instruction) or implicit (nonverbal, informal instruction) ways. There are implications of differing cultural norms, values, expectations, and traditions on motivation, communication style, emotional development, family relationships, etc. Familiarity with national and local figures are relevant in understanding issues of diversity. Assumptions About Culture Assumptions are often made about cultures and cultural groups, including assuming everyone who belongs to a particular cultural group is the same or has the same attitudes, values, interests, needs, etc. In fact, there are differences within larger cultural groups. Some of those differences occur because of intersectionality (., considering race and gender simultaneously). There are also subcultures (., gangs) that may be operating within larger cultural groups. Another assumption cultures are static rather than changing and dynamic. In fact, over time, setting, and circumstance, cultural values, norms, and traditions change. Current events and environmental conditions (., war, drought, globalization) lead to changes in the beliefs and values people adhere to. Privilege and InclusivityEveryone has a culture, and everyone has biases, but individuals will differ in their awareness and identification with a cultural group. Our experiences of privilege or (lack of privilege) positions us in ways that can be perceived to be hostile to others. Words are powerful and can be perceived as alienating or oppressive to individuals and groups. Immigration and Acculturation As individuals and groups of people immigrate to new context/country, acculturation takes place. There are different ways to measure acculturation (., identity, behaviors, language use, ethic label). There are different strategies (., straight-line, accommodation without assimilation, segmented assimilation) by which individuals acculturate, depending on different factors (., context of reception, size of ethnic community). There are generational differences and adjustment outcomes based on acculturation strategy adopted. Acculturation Stress may be experienced by first and second-generation youth. Ethnic identity development plays a role as mediator or buffer of the detrimental effects of discrimination. Culturally Competent Practices: •Engage in critical self-reflection of own biases. •Carefully monitor one’s own attitudes about and behaviors toward individuals and cultural groups. •Be aware of institutionalized power and privilege (or lack thereof) associated with different cultural and social groups. •Engage in critical self-reflection of one’s own privilege(s) and membership to privileged groups (or lack thereof). •Use inclusive language that does not discriminate or stigmatize cultures or subcultures (., partner vs. husband or wife, undocumented vs. illegal). •Understand the difference between ethnic minority status, numerical minorities, and underrepresented minorities. •Do not treat the dominant European American group as the “normal” or “right”. •Do not simplify the dimensions of culture to only the expressive or explicit aspects. •Seek knowledge and awareness of cultural norms, values, expectations, and traditions of the dominant group and other groups. •Be careful when generalizing findings from one particular sample to the entire cultural group. •Understand what pan-ethnic categories (., Asian American, Latinx) reveal and obscure.•Seek information and knowledge of “new” cultural practices and values to work effectively within cultural groups. Culturally competent individuals: •Have a specific set of values and principles, behaviors, and attitudes that enable them to work effectively across cultures. •Understand that different cultural groups are associated with goals, values, attitudes, and traditions (., a cultural framework) that may differ from that of their own cultural group and/or the dominant cultural group in the United States (., European American). •Know that cultural frameworks are complex and affect the behaviors, choices, and decisions of individuals and communities •Are mindful that imposing the cultural framework of one group onto a different group may result in ineffective practice, mistrust, and/or misunderstanding. •Realize that practitioners, as well as the institutions of which they are a part, might experience differing levels of awareness, knowledge, and skills related to cultural competence. Culturally competent individuals engage in these ongoing activities: •Reflect on the ways in which their own biases and socio-historical positioning may influence their practice and interactions with people from different cultures. •Examine their own cultural framework in relation to the target cultural framework. •Seek to acquire information about the target cultural framework in order to work effectively with individuals and communities. •Systematically involve the family, children, and the communities they serve not only to understand their cultural framework, but also to set the goals for the services provided.
