At the individual
level, the focus is on how persons who are members of different groups work out how to
live together, again through negotiation so that conflict is avoided. Probably the main
concern of most people attending this conference is linked to current geopolitical events.
We all ask: howca n peoples of different cultural backgrounds encounter each other, seek
avenues of mutual understanding, negotiate and compromise on their initial positions, and
achieve some degree of harmonious engagement? This broad question has been addressed
for centuries by many disciplines, and from many differing theoretical perspective. In my
own work around the time of the shootings at Kent State University (Berry, 1968) I have
sought to develop some insights into howtw o opposing political cultures in Australia
understood each other’s position on the US American/Australian war in Vietnam, as a
basis for furthering dialogue and the avoidance of civil conflict. One party (the Australian
Government) was of the view that anti-war militants were ‘‘just a few nuts’’. In contrast,
those opposed to the war saw themselves as motivated by a concern for human life and
human rights, rooted in an ethical position of mutual respect. Our research was intended to
assess the motives and attitudes of the marchers in order to convey the legitimacy of their
concerns, and to undermine their derogation as ‘‘nuts’’, or people without any coherent
position. Similar concerns about where people are coming from, and how they seek to
carry out their lives, have lead me over the years to attend to another form of encounter—
that which arises for groups and individuals when they come into first hand contact with
each other across cultural borders. This involves addressing some basic psychological
features of group relations, and in particular the concept of acculturation.
At the individuallevel, the focus is on how persons who are members of different groups work out how tolive together, again through negotiation so that conflict is avoided. Probably the mainconcern of most people attending this conference is linked to current geopolitical events.We all ask: howca n peoples of different cultural backgrounds encounter each other, seekavenues of mutual understanding, negotiate and compromise on their initial positions, andachieve some degree of harmonious engagement? This broad question has been addressedfor centuries by many disciplines, and from many differing theoretical perspective. In myown work around the time of the shootings at Kent State University (Berry, 1968) I havesought to develop some insights into howtw o opposing political cultures in Australiaunderstood each other’s position on the US American/Australian war in Vietnam, as abasis for furthering dialogue and the avoidance of civil conflict. One party (the AustralianGovernment) was of the view that anti-war militants were ‘‘just a few nuts’’. In contrast,those opposed to the war saw themselves as motivated by a concern for human life andhuman rights, rooted in an ethical position of mutual respect. Our research was intended toassess the motives and attitudes of the marchers in order to convey the legitimacy of theirconcerns, and to undermine their derogation as ‘‘nuts’’, or people without any coherentposition. Similar concerns about where people are coming from, and how they seek tocarry out their lives, have lead me over the years to attend to another form of encounter—that which arises for groups and individuals when they come into first hand contact witheach other across cultural borders. This involves addressing some basic psychologicalfeatures of group relations, and in particular the concept of acculturation.
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