A CASE STUDY ON INTERCULTURAL PROCESS IN LIMITED SETTING | Trihastutie | Jurnal Sastra dan Budaya Dinamika 331 1570 1 PB

A CASE STUDY ON INTERCULTURAL PROCESS IN LIMITED SETTING
Nopita Trihastutie
Widya Kartika University, Surabaya

Abstract
In a global world, living in other country is no longer unusual thing. Thus, the encounter with
other culture is unavoidable. Progressing from ethnocentrism to ethno-relativism is vital for
the success of someone living out of his/her mother country. This progress occurs through an
intercultural process. A study on the intercultural process utilizes short self-reports and
surveys to conduct the assessments of individuals’ attitude, personalities, and values.
Conducted in an informal school with a boarding system, this study examines how the
intercultural process of foreign teachers and whether this process gives influence to the local
students’ cross cultural understanding. An informal school with a boarding system is a
limited setting for an intercultural process. However, the interaction is still considered natural
for two reasons: firstly, no certain particular cultural obligation for personal and social
conduct there; secondly, cultural “take and give” occurs. The process occurs to both foreign
teachers and local students. To some extent, the intercultural process of one party contributes
the other party’s cross cultural understanding.
Key Words: Intercultural Process, Cross Cultural Understanding

Among

Introduction
In present global world, living with

many

reasons,

people

decide to leave their mother country for

differences both at home and abroad is

jobs. Working abroad plays a unique role

becoming more important. Differences

in offering individuals the opportunity to

such as values, attitudes, culture, ethnicity,

develop their intercultural competencies.

social practices, political beliefs, sexuality

Intercultural competence marks a complex

and religion clearly direct people all

of abilities needed to perform effectively

around the world to take various meanings

and appropriately when interacting with

from their surroundings which must be

others who are linguistically and culturally

fully respected and integrated into life

different from oneself (Fantini, 2006).

according to their individual attitudes

Working in different cultures needs a good

(Tesoriero, 2006).

understanding of the norms of that culture.

584

The acquisition of such competencies is

This study works mainly under two

important not only for the foreigners, but

theories

also the local individuals who have

competence theory (Bennett in Paige,

interaction with the foreigners in the

1993) to exemine the foreign teachers’

working environment. The interaction

intercultural

between foreign and local people gives

interaction theory (Blumer, 1969) to

influence to both parties.

exermine the influence of foreign teachers’

need

to

develop

include

process

intercultural

and

symbolic

intercultural process to students’ cross

In a multicultural working place,
individuals

which

their

cultural understanding.

intercultural competence based on their
own situations and needs.

Different

Methodology

norms, rules and customs lead to different

This study exercices a case study as

expectation from different cultures. A

a method which underlines a “bounded

study was conducted in an international

system” over through detailed, in-depth

school

on

data collection involving multiple sources

from

of information rich in context. This

‘Ethnocentrism’ to ‘Ethnorelativism’ of

“bounded system” is bounded by time and

foreign teachers, exclussively those are

place, it is the case being studied -

from English speaking countries. It makes

programs,

a clear depiction of the contradiction

individuals (Creswell, 1998). In figuring

between West and East values and customs

out the intercultural process and finding

in which both involve in the intercultural

out the intercultural competence resulted

competence process.

The scope of the

from the process, this study needs multiple

intercultural process was limited to the

sources of information which include

foreign

intercultural

observation, interview, documents, and

communicative competence and cross

audio visual material. This study situates

cultural adaptation with the local students,

the intercultural process within a limited

their intercultural sensitivity toward the

physical

local cultural values and customs, and the

intercultural process of the individuals and

influence of foreign teachers’ intercultural

the intercultural competence resulted are

program

examining

process

which

the

process

teachers’

to

understanding

students’
of

focused

West

cross

cultural

values

events,

and

social

activities,

setting.

and

The

observed through their natural activities,

and

programs, and events.

customs.

Direct assessment of intercultural
competence which include performance
585

assessment,

portfolio

and

undergoes a reversal

interviews were applied. The data showed

phase, during which

the elicitation of an individual’s ability to

the worldview shifts

display intercultural competence through

from

his or her behavior, whether in real-time

culture to the other

situations (performance assessment), in

culture, and the own

reflections

culture is subject to

and

assessment

collections

of

work

(portfolio assessment), or in one-on-one
conversations

with

own

disparagement.

interlocutors

3.

Minimization The

(interviews).
To

one’s

individual

acknowledges
observe

the

intercultural

cultural

differences

process, the data were analyzed based on

on the surface but

six stages of Bennett’s DMIS.

considers all cultures

No

as

1.

Stage
Denial

Description
The individual denies
the

difference

existence

of

similar.

or

4.

Acceptance

other

cultures by erecting

cultural

psychological

with

or

individual

differences
regard

to

behavior and values.

the forms of isolation

Defense

The

accepts and respects

physical barriers in

2.

fundamentally

5.

Adaptation

The

individual

and separation from

develops the ability

other cultures.

to shift his frame of

The individual reacts

reference

against the threat of

culturally

diverse

other

worldviews

through

cultures

by

denigrating the other

empathy

cultures

pluralism.

(negative

stereotyping)

and

promoting

the

6.

Integration

The

to

other

and

individual

expands

and

superiority of one’s

incorporates other

own culture. In some

worldviews into his

cases, the individual

own worldview.

586

acknowledge
These

six

stages

comprise

that

institution like

a

living

boarding

school

has

change

their

significant

to most culturally competent and illustrate

perception and interaction during their

a

social relationships. In a boarding school

way

of

modeling

the

and

a total

continuum from least culturally competent

dynamic

impact

in

with “international setting”, the changes

development of intercultural competence.
To observe the local students’ cross

which the students experience is often not

cultural understanding as the outcome of

in the manner that the boarding school

their

foreign

defines itself or claims to inculcate, instead

teachers, the aspects being observed were

the changes that come about is chiefly due

as follows:

to the students’ constant interaction with

interaction

No
1.

2.

with

Apect

their

other students, and even with teacher from

Description

Substantive

The individual has a

Knowledge

firm, important,

Perceptual

different culture.
The existance of boarding school

meaningful

with an “international setting” in a certain

awareness or

country, however, does not eliminate the

consciousness or

influence of local culture in both students

familiarity of certain

and teachers’ daily lives. Thus, in such

culture gained by

place, an intercultural contact between

experience during

foreign and local party is intense. Though

interaction.

it is limited and not free from the influence

The individual has

of local culture at any intensity, the

Understanding the
interpretation

“naturalness” of this setting which refers to

right

the

of

absence

of

particular

cultural

certain culture s/he

obligation for personal and social conduct

encounteres during

guarantees that the intercultural interaction

interaction.

between

foreign

teachers

and

local

students occurs naturally as well.
When two people from different
cultures meet in a boarding school with

Analysis

“international setting”, cultural “give and

Boarding school can be seen as
centre of socialization where students

take”

plays

important

role

in

the

mingle with others. Teachers and students

interaction. In such a place, “international”
does not refer to the connotation of the
587

superiority of the West, rather that during

To see further the intercultural

the interaction between West and East

process, this study works under Bennett’s

there is a party whose culture is neither

Developmental Model of Intercultural

considered as superior nor inferior. Each

Sensitivity (DMIS) theory (Bennett in

party of the interaction at the same time

Paige,

gives and takes cultural influence in an

intercultural process of an acquaintance of

equal position. Therefore, the intercultural

two different cultures at the first place.

process which is marked by the cultural

DMIS includes six stages on this path of

“take” and “”give” during the interaction

intercultural process which is respectively

happens

(local

characterized by certain perceptions and

students) and non-Indonesian (foreign

behaviors towards the “own” and the

teachers).

“other” culture. It refers to a shifting from

to

both

Indonesian

1993).

It

is

based

on

the

To some extent, the occurance of

the understanding of foreigner teachers’

cultural “take” and “give” during the

own culture as being superior to the

intercultural process also contributes cross

understanding of their own culture as equal

cultural

in value and complexity to any other

understanding

to

both

local

students and foreign teachers. Thus, two

cultures.

ways correlation happens in that situation.

The end goal of DMIS stages is an

In such a limited “international setting”,

competence in an intercultural process.

focusing merely on one way correlation

The term competence, according to Brian

that is the influence of non-Indonesian’s

H. Spitzberg and Gabrielle Changnon (in

intercultural process towards Indonesian’s

Deardoff, 2009, p.6) has been equated with

cross cultural understanding marks two

understanding, relationship developement,

significant things: firstly, for the foreign

adaptation, and a set of abilities or skills

teachers,

from

and at other times a subjective evaluated

‘Ethnocentrism’ to ‘Ethno-relativism’ as

impression. Applying the DMIS stages as

vital for the success of living in out of

the guideline for making the interpretation

mother

local

of the intercultural process, this study

from

notes

progressing

country.

students,

Secondly,

progressing

for

that

those

stages

comprise

a

‘Ethnocentrism’ to ‘Ethno relativism’

continuum

from

means the “absence” of comfort zone in

competent

to

mother country where the “international

competent. The stages illustrate a dynamic

feeling” exists.

way of modeling the development of

the
the

intercultural competence.
588

least

culturally

most

culturally

Regarding

the

stages,

hold the same value of respect. Respect

culture shock as the initial issue of the

works as a glue for the interactions during

intercultural

something

the culture shock periods. The foreign

envitable experienced by the foreign

teachers do not either deny the difference

teachers. This culture shock, as noted by

or existence of the local cultures by

Oberg (1960), is precipated by the anxiety

erecting psychological or physical barriers

that result from losing all their familiar

in the forms of isolation and separation

signs, cues, symbols, custom and norms of

from the local cultures nor react against

social intercourse. The customs include the

the threat of local cultures by denigrating

ways in which the foreign teachers orient

the local cultures or by promoting the

themselves to the situation of daily life:

superiority of their own culture. In this

communication style. This feeling shock

case, they undergo not only the absence of

refers to the first three stages of Bennett’s

stereotyping toward their local students,

DMIS: the stage of denial, defense, and

but also a reversal phase in which their

minimization. However, this study shows

worldview shifts from their West culture to

something different in case of this culture

the local culture.

process

DMIS

is

shock. The foreign teachers experience

The foreign teachers’ worldview

culture shock at minimum level during the

which shifts from West to local culture

initial interactions with their local students

includes

while they live together in their boarding.

different values and behavior acceptance

This experience is at DMIS stage of

are needed and of which the most notable

minimization. It is a stage when both

relates to the communication style. In this

parties minimize any cultural differences

acceptance stage, the common shared

by correcting people to match their

value of maturity plays a very important

expectations. It means that the two

role during the interactions. Maturity

previous DMIS stages – denial and defense

encompasses awareness of the correct time

– is likely “absent” during their initial

and place to behave and understanding

interactions.

when

certain

to

act,

circumtances

according

where

to

the

The shock feeling is merely a

circumstances and the culture of the

minor psychological barrier for both

society they live in. When each party has

parties to build harmonious interactions.

what Dilts (1996) defines as “social

This study shows that what make possible

maturity”, there is no doubt that a climate

for the harmonious interactions during the

of trust, harmony, active co-operation and

culture shock periods is that both parties
589

peaceful coexistence are produced in a

differences. According to Penbek, et all

boarding school.

(2009) personal attitudes like empathy and

Besides common shared values of

flexibility

are

also

two

important

respect and maturity, the role of someone

components of adaptive capacity. It is

“standing in the gap” or an “intercessor”

noted that during the intercultural process,

during the intercultural process is an

communication is also an important thing.

important thing needed by the foreign

According to Sinicrope, et. all (2007),

teachers in the early adaptation stage.

communication

However, after building a long interaction

strategy in the development of intercultural

with the local students, the role of

sensitivity,

“intercessor” is no longer needed. This

relative stages. Participants who move out

study shows that after long term of living

of acceptance are eager to apply their

and working in a boarding school, the

knowledge of cultural differences to actual

foreign

change

face-to-face communication. Through this

communication style when they interact

communication, sharing information to

with their local students’ culture. Further,

reach a common understanding occurs

this study also shows that after a year, the

during the interaction of individuals.

teachers

instinctively

is

a

developmental

particularly in

the

ethno

foreign teachers acquire a capacity to

This study also shows that to some

change their knowledge, attitudes, and

extent there is the changing of foreign

behaviors so that they are open and

teachers’

flexible to the local students’ cultures.

experience two senses of adaptation: micro

Taylor (1994) states that such capacity is a

and macro. In a micro sense, they are

transformative

the

influenced by the actions of the local

capacity,

students’ culture; and at macro sense, they

altering their perspective to effectively

experience assimilation. According to

understand and accommodate the demands

Deardorff (2009, p.6), adaptation at the

of the host culture.

micro

foreigners

process

develop

whereby

adaptive

The foreign teachers who have the

communication

level

is

interdependence

style.

concerned
and

They

with

the

alternation

of

adaptive capacity can not only develop

behavior in the episodes of interaction,

relational competence with local students’

such that the actions of one interactant

cultures, but

influence

also manage

to solve

the

actions

of

the

other

complicated conflicts by moving around

interactant(s) in the context. While at a

the alternatives (e.g. the intercessor’s role)

more macro level tends to the meaning that

which arise as the result of cultural

the sorjouners are adapt at making
590

assimilation to host culture across the

they never ridicule, shout at or offend their

episodes and contexts of interaction within

local students. Since the imperfections

that culture. In the perspective of DMIS

should always be hidden and addressed

stages, this macro adaptation refers to the

privately, the foreign teachers never blame

integration stage. It is a stage when the

never their local students publicly or

sourjoners

their

personally. In Indonesian culture, the

communication style when interacting with

manifestation of the concept of face or

local cultures.

shame is that people communicate quite

instinctively

change

This study shows that relating to

indirectly. They will never wish to cause

communication style, the foreign teachers’

anyone feel shame by giving them a

minimization and acceptance stages during

negative answer so that they phrase it a

their intial interaction with the local

way and expect what they truly want to say

students refer to the phase of half cultural

is understood. As the foreign teachers

originality loss, while after a longer

adapt themselve to that concept, they

interaction, the adaptation and integration

practice Indonesian way of saying “Yes”

stages refer to their phase of total cultural

when the actual meaning is “No”. This

originality

particular

seems to be a paradox to the value of

circumtances of which the phase of

openness, outspokeness, and directness in

cultural originality loss is related to the

communication and problem solving style

Indonesian concepts of ‘face’ and etiquette

in their western culture.

loss.

The

in communication.

Hierarcy also plays a great role in

Indonesian concepts of ‘face’ and

Indonesian

culture.

Hierarchical

etiquette in communication are important

relationships are respected, emphasised

concepts which the foreign teachers need

and maintained. Respesct is usually shown

to understand. These concepts are due to

to those with status, power, position, and

the need to maintain group harmony. In

age.

Indonesia,

these

etiquette,

avoiding

the

concepts

are

about

In

Indonesian
superiors

are

communication
often

called

shame.

“bapak” or “ibu” and followed by their

Consequently, people are very careful how

first name. These means the equivalent of

they interact and speak. Although the

“sir” or “madam” in English, however in

foreign teachers cannot be expected to

Western formal situation it is followed by

understand the complete nuances of the

last name instead of first name. The

concepts, they keep an eye on their

concept of Indonesian addressing system

behavior. Following to these concepts,

does not merely refer to the necessity of

cause

of

591

formality. This ties back to the idea of

originality loss in which refers to the

maintaining strong group cohesivess and

paradox as in these adaptation and

harmonious relationships. To the foreign

integration

teachers,

the

“conflict”, even in a very tiny scale and

Indonesian addressing system is, to some

implicitly, is not avoidable. The existence

extent, contrary to the concept of formality

of conflict marks the beginning of cross

in Western culture.

cultural awareness to the local students.

To

the

concept

some

behind

presence

of

This can be seen in term of non verbal

teachers’ phase of cultural originality loss

communication. To some extent, the

provides cross cultural understanding to

interpretation of nonverbal communication

the local students which includes two

can also cause conflicts. The point of

aspects, fistly cross cultural knowledge

conflict concerns on which expressions are

and secondly, cross cultural awareness.

acceptable to show and by whom. The

The first aspect refers to the initial level of

foreign teachers do not use nonverbal

understanding. This aspect relates to the

communication as often as the local

phase of half cultural originality loss in

students. In the local students’ culture,

which the local students still see certain

these nonverbal gestures are also a very

part of foreign teachers’s culture. In this

important part of communication. Wrong

case, the local students can see two things:

interpretation of the gestures can lead to a

the

direct

conflict. for example, facial expression

of

that will be recognized around the world as

maintaining face for their foreign teachers

conveying happiness may actually express

is preserving their image for other people

anger or mask sadness.

of

communication.

face
The

the

the

foreign

concept

extent,

phase,

and
meaning

and themselves. To do this, their foreign
teachers can negotiate, debate, discuss

Conclusion
Based on this study, it can be

differences and most of all defending their
own opinion directly.

The difference

concluded that an informal school where

between direct and indirect communication

foreign teachers and local students live

can play a big part in misunderstanding.

under the same boarding provide a limited

They speak openly with honesty and are

“international setting” for the intercultural

always to the point.

process.

This limited

“international

The second aspect refers to the

setting” changes both foreign teachers and

higher level of the understanding. This

local students’ perception and interaction

aspect relates to the phase of total cultural

during their social relationships. On the
592

foreign teachers’ side, the intercultural

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