Culture fix-point dialogue

One day in Copenhagen, María felt ill and she decided to go to the doctor.  So, it was raining heavily, and she hires a taxi. Inside taxi there was another woman , and both of them were going to the same direction : the hospital.  They started talking each other.

A is a person from Spain. Her name is María. She is 35 years old. She is not a believer. She divorced a year ago. She has two children: a daughter and a son.   Now, she is leaving alone in the city. She likes hanging out with her friends in the weekends. She is a businesswoman. She likes reading science fiction book and watching romantic comedies.

B is a person from Turkey. Her name is Elif. She is 41 years old. She is a Muslim person. Elif , but she doesn’t wear a scarf  that covers her hair. She is married with one child. She is a doctor. She doesn’t drink alcohol and she doesn’t eat pork. Elif likes doing sport, she really likes playing tennis, and she is very good at swimming.

A: Hi! Where are you going? Because I really need to go to the hospital.

B: Don’t worry, I have to go there too.

A:  Ok. So, what is your name? Mine is María.

B: Elif. Nice to meet you.

A: Me too. Are you new in the city? Because you don’t look like Danish people at all.

B: No…Actually, I am here 4 years ago. I am almost a Danish person!

A:  I’ve asked you, because in my case I ‘m a foreign person, from Spain. I moved on here a year ago, and it was really hard for me to get to use to this new country. It is so different…

B: Really? For me it was also hard, but step by step you are getting to use.

A: Where are you from?

B: I ‘ m from Istanbul, Turkey.

A: So, you are a Muslim, right?

B: You are right. Are you Christian?

A: Well… actually not, you know, I don’t believe in any religion. I’m atheist.

B:  Why don’t you believe in God?

A:  Because, in my opinion, I can’t believe in something that I couldn’t see.

B: Unbelievable! But in the way you said, you couldn’t see your brain but you know that you have…

A: It is not the same… Do you mind if I ask you something about Muslim culture?

B: Not at all. You can ask whatever you want.

A: Ok, if you are Muslim , why don’t you use scarf? It seems strange for me.

B: Well…Actually it is not necessary wearing a scarf, if your option as Muslim. Nobody can judge you if you don’t wear a scarf.

A: Really? I didn’t know that…But is there some restrictions about food or drinks , isn’t?

B: Of course. For example, I don’t eat pork and I don’t drink alcohol.

They arrived to the hospital, and María was waiting for the doctor. But, it was a surprise when suddenly she saw Elif with a white coat. She was her doctor!

In the lesson of "Democratic Citizenship" Ilknur and me created this dialogue after having a look at these the criterias for socratic dialogue made by Dorete Kallesoe:

Dialogue Teaching : 

The teacher should ask open questions which enables students to create a dialogue

The Teacher as the Leader of Conversation:

Teacher should be in the background, only structure the dialogue and summarize the argument.

Active Listening :

The students should listen to each other and talk each other in sensible way

Analysing Concepts :

Teacher should explain the definitions of concepts that are the base of the dialogue

The Importance of Argumentation :

The students should learn that they have to argue about their opinions and the teacher should ask students to challenge each others' opinions.

Answering Thomas's questions

• If you use Iben Jensens "Analytical model" can you somehow dissect the dialogue above into the elements in her model (cultural self-understanding and so forth).

The Spanish woman:

Cultural self-understanding	Cultural pre-understanding	Position of experience	Culture fix point
“I ‘m a foreign person, from Spain. I moved on here a year ago, and it was really hard for me to get to use to this new country. It is so different…”	“if you are Muslim , why don’t you use scarf? It seems strange for me.” "Are you new in the city? Because you don’t look like Danish people at all."	“Really? I didn’t know that…”	“ It is not the same… Do you mind if I ask you something about Muslim culture?”
“I don’t believe in any religion. I’m atheist”	“But is there some restrictions about food or drinks , isn’t?”	“…María was waiting for the doctor. But, it was a surprise when suddenly she saw Elif with a white coat. She was her doctor!”
“I can’t believe in something that I couldn’t see”	“So, you are a Muslim, right?”

The Turkish woman

Cultural self-understanding	Cultural pre-understanding	Position of experience	Culture fix point
“Unbelievable! But in the way you said, you couldn’t see your brain but you know that you have…”	“Are you Christian?”	“and María was waiting for the doctor. But, it was a surprise when suddenly she saw Elif with a white coat. She was her doctor!”	“Actually it is not necessary wearing a scarf, if your option as Muslim.” “Why don’t you believe in God?” “Nobody can judge you if you don’t wear a scarf.”
“I don’t eat pork and I don’t drink alcohol.”

• Do you think it is it a good way of analysing communication? And why

Yes, I consider that analytical model is a good way because you can discover what we think about other cultures ( such as prejudices or stereotypes), how we consider within our own culture ( self-understanding), and the main difference between our culture and others. In that sense , we can comprehend better what is going on when people from different nationalities are speaking: what is said (explicit) and what is thought ( implicit).

• The way of telling a fictional story is that an easier way of discussing cultural issues? Are there some things to be aware about when doing it?

As far I'm concerned, I think that inventing a story is easier in order to be much more aware of pre-understandings. When you imagine other situation, you are trying to be less subjective and more objetive, that is the aim: to clarify our self-understanding, prejudices, etc.