(7TESL010W) Intercultural Communicative Competence

In this assessment we will discuss about International liaison & communication and below are the summaries point:- MA International Liaison and Communication and MA TESOL are two academic programs. The text discusses a scenario where a black student faces racism from a white teacher. Racism is defined as the unequal treatment of people based on their race, and cross-cultural aspects of racism vary in different societies and can include colorism.

MA International Liaison and Communication
MA TESOL
7TESL010W INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE
7TRSL058W INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICAITON
ASSESSMENT 2

RACISM:
Jada is a black women living in America. She is a brilliant student and she is very passionate about
pursuing medicine. For this, she has to take the class of biology which is taught by Mr. James, who is
an white person. As soon as Jada joins the class she notices that her teacher criticize her more than
her other white classmates.Moreover, he does not respond to her queries with same dedication as
her other classmates.He also usually dismisses her questions. He is not welcomed to class
participation. No one in her class likes to interact with her. As a result of all this, she starts to feel
isolated. She loses her self-confidence and self worth. She thinks that his teacher is prejudiced against
her because of her skin colour or race. She thinks about changing school but she is worried that
changing schools might affect her future and dream of becoming a doctor. After much consideration,
she finally takes the matter to the principal. Lucky for her, the principal took notice of the situation
and counseled Mr.James about the importance of giving providing equal treatment to all of the
students. School management also arranged seminars for raising awareness about this discrimination.
Jada’s courage in this situation helped her by making things comfortable for her.
What is Racism:
The problem observed in the above scenario is that of Racism. Racism.Racism is the practise of giving
people of different races unequal chances and outcomes based on practices, laws, attitudes, and
behaviors. Racism is not characterized solely by words or acts. It happens when the ability to oppress,
limit, or obstruct the liberty of others coexists with this bias, whether institutional or personal.
(Australian Human Rights Commission, 2022) There is a causal relationship between inherited physical
traits and attributes of character, intelligence, ethics, and other behavioral and cultural
characteristics. Humans may be split into distinct exclusive and biological entities known as "races";
certain races are fundamentally superior to others. Differences in financial status, schooling, medical
services, human liberties, and other areas are further reinforced by racial discrimination, which can be
practised or perpetuated by social, financial, or judicial institutions and systems.(Jeffery Scott Mio and
Awakuni, 2013)
Cross-cultural aspects of Racism:
Cross-cultural aspects of racism can be defined as the means and forms in which the racism is
displayed and encountered in various societies, countries and cultures. Racism can be found and take
different form in different cultures. These forms apparently depends upon the political, cultural, and
historical backgrounds.
 The most common form of racism is colorism. As apparent from the term, colorism means
discrimination based upon the skin tone. In many countries fair colored people are preferred
over the dark ones. Apart from the larger scale, in many countries colorism is found in tiniest
aspects of life. For example, in some countries fair colored girls are preferred for marriage by the
families of the boys. This is prevalent in countries like Latin America, Southeast asia,etc. This can
lead to the development of unreal and fake beauty standards in the society. It can cause

complex in the persons with the dark skin tones. This complex can be exploited by various
businesses for material gains and hence making the society shallowest to its core.
 Another manifestation of Racism is Ethnonationalism It.a style of nationalism that places a
strong focus on an ethnocentric (and occasionally an ethnocratic) attitude to a variety of political
concerns relating to the national assertion of a certain ethnic group. This promotes the idea that
individuals belonging to certain ethnic backgrounds are better or superior to others. People not
belonging to them are treated differently and are frowned upon them.(Jeffery Scott Mio and
Awakuni, 2013) They may be even be a victim to severe violence by extremists.Rwanda genocide
of 1994 is the perfect example of such conflicts. They maybe deprived of the educational and
other opportunities if they belong to an ethnic minority.
 Prejudice and stereotyping based on the cultural or religious backgrounds is also a form of
racism. This discrimination is basically a result of hearsay negative beliefs about people
belonging to certain group. They are usually generalized just because of a negative experience
with a representative individual.(Bekerman, 2020)
 Another form of racism is Xenophobia. Xenophobia can be defined as hatred and fear of the
people belonging to different countries. There can be many factors behind the development of
such negative feelings. The result of Xenophobia is the marginalization and isolation of the
refugees and immigrants. There has been a rise of Xenophobia in United States and Europe in
the recent years. This is exploited by the political parties for their own gains. (Jeffery Scott Mio
and Awakuni, 2013)
 Historical Background of countries also play a profound role in the development of different
racist behaviour. After the World War 1 The Nazi Party took control over Germany. They
successfully used the hatred against Jews for the mass murder of Jews. By exploiting this idea
they mass murdered the Jews as an attempt to eradicate the race.(Lipstadt, 2019)
Racism evolves and shifts over time, influencing different societies in different ways and escalating
against different ethnicity at various points in history. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a
spike in discrimination against Asian and Asian-Australian individuals. Racism encompasses any laws,
norms, philosophies, and other constraints that restrict people from experiencing fairness, decency,
and equality because of their race. Harassment, aggression, verbal or physical abuse, or intimidation
may be used. Yet, racism is common in organizations and systems that act unfairly and unequally..
(Smith) Racism has historically been the belief that people of low level races should be kept to low
status employment or slavery and be denied access to political influence, wealth, and unlimited civil
rights. Racial prejudice could lead to physical violence, isolation, and in some areas, the belief that it is
not natural for individuals with distinct races to get in the bond of marriage.(Bekerman, 2020)
Combating Racism:
Racism breeds distrust and resentment, making it impossible to understand its victims. The Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, established by the United Nations in 1948, is one example of a

governmental policy that many cultures have embraced to improve intercultural understanding and
combat prejudice..
 Racism in educational institutions as seen in the above scenario is quite prevalent these days.
There is a need to address this situation to ensure equality among students. First and foremost
step that can be taken is to educate the staff and students about the hazards of the racism and
its effects. They should be made aware of the possible situations and ho w they should deal with
them. (Bekerman, 2020)The goal of this training should be the development of a learning
environment that is inclusive. This can be done by teaching cultural sensitivity.
 Next step is the promotion of diversity. All the educational institutions should work for the
development and acceptance of the diversity. This can be done by the recruitment and the
admission of the culturally diverse staff and students. Also scholarships should be provided for
the minorities and the foreign students. This creates sensitivity and helps the underprivileged
feel welcomed. An inclusive environment of institutions should be developed by promoting and
fostering open communication and creating support groups.
 After adopting all these measures, there should be a zero-tolerance policy against people who
promote and exercise such behaviour; be it in the form of bullying or neglect. People responsible
for such acts should be dismissed and discouraged. This not only creates awareness but also
reduce the occurrence of such incidents in the future.(Smith, 1993) Moreover, it is also the duty
of educational system that they should address the systemic problems related to the racism and
discrimination. They should include such issues in the curriculum in the form of chapters and
courses.
Discrimination:
Clara is extremely bright and well qualified job applicant. She also has years of experience in her field
of expertise. She has an excellent resume and a long list of references. She is very excited about
joining the new company and working. However, she got disappointed after arriving at the interview
as she noticed tat the person doing the interview is clearly showing bias towards her because of her

gender. She inferred this because of the personal questions asked by the interviewer and some
comments made by him which were implying that women are not capable of doing the job.
She tried her best to convince them otherwise by presenting her abilities but to no vain as they were
fixated on their idea that women are less capable then men. Unfortunately, Clara came back with the
feelings of despair and frustration.
The above scenario highlights the problem of systemic discrimination prevailing in our society and is a
reminder for accelerating the efforts to eradicate it.
What is Discrimination?
One if the most common breech of human rights is Discrimination. In all its forms and types it is
against the basic rules according to which humans must be treated. Thinking of human beings
superior or inferior and then depriving them of liberties. It affects hundreds and thousands of people
in our daily life and it is sometimes difficult to recognize.In simple terms or lay man language
discrimination can be defined as unequal treatment or prejudice against people based on their
religion, sex, ethnicity, language, physical strength, colour of the skin, or gender. and necessities of
life is lowest of the morals and should be discouraged at every level.It also refers to the unfair
treatment because of one of the seven foundations for discrimination It is the breech of a person’s
dignity. Discrimination has more effects than that of personal level. (Council of Europe, 2012)This kind
of treatment makes the people helpless and prevent them from achieving their full potential and thus
acting as a good citizen thus depriving the society of growth. Discrimination is mostly the result of
misconceptions of common people against different groups. Thus it is safe to say that discrimination
not only negatively impacts the people who are a victim but also the society as a whole.A society
which allows the discrimination to prevail sows the seeds for its own doom.
Cross-cultural aspects of the Discrimination:
Discrimination is a universal issue. It influences the lives of millions of people belonging to different
walks of life. It is prevalent across cultures in different forms. It can be based on gender, religion,
nationality, beliefs, language,etc.
 Traditions and culture: People living in a particular society or particular area develops certain
rules and sets of behaviour over a period of time. These behaviors becomes so dominant that
any person showing differing characteristics is considered as an outcast. Thus, he or she is
subjected to discrimination.These values of cultures are usually subjected against certain groups
such as women, homosexuals, people belonging to a minor sect, etc.
 Prejudice and Stereotyping: People develop disgust and hate towards other groups and start
associating stereotypes without doing their research. These prejudices are mainly because of
inaccurate hear say or negative information. These information may be spread through different
propaganda for the purpose of spreading hate and creating chaos. These stereotypes penetrate
in to the minor aspects of life like housing, schooling, health and care services, etc.
 Discrimination based on language:Discrimination can also result from the ineffective
communication between people speaking different languages or accents. A population of people

speaking a particular accent may prejudice against the people having a different accent from
them thus subjecting them to humiliation. This humiliation is usually given the name of humour.
This can hurt the feelings of people and can lead to their marginalization.
 Discrimination due to class difference: Discrimination is most common based on the power
dynamics. Certain groups of people having more wealth or power start discriminating towards
the less privileged ones. They develop this idea that they deserve everything better and good
and the people less lucky than them are doomed to be their slaves and are not supposed to be
treated as humans. This idea is most common among the teenagers. Young teenagers belonging
to elite background discriminate against the other students in their class and schools and other
places. This is the main reason behind bullying culture. Children are considered less cool because
of their financial status and hence are subjected to the bullying.
 Favoritism: Favoritism based on gender, class, race and nationality is also common in workplace
and educational settings. Generally, male students are given preference by the female teachers
and female students are favoured by the male teachers. Same ting is observed in workplace, a
women getting promotions usually accused of having unprofessional relationship with the
individuals in charge. This is not true all the time but the women have to face such accusations
because of the established prejudice.(Council of Europe, 2012)
 Religious discrimination: Religious discrimination ca be inter or intra religion. The majority of
Europeans follow one of three major Christian denominations: Roman Catholicism ,
Protestantism , and Eastern Orthodoxy. In Islam discrimination against shias is too common.
Antisemitism is most prominent in this context. Antisemitism is defined as "hatred towards Jews
as a religious or minority group, which is frequently accompanied by cultural, financial, and legal
discrimination." 9. Antisemitism has existed throughout European history and continues to this
day. By the end of the nineteenth century, Jewish communities in Soviet union were routinely
survivors of genocides, which were arranged methodical exclusionary violent acts against Jewish
communities by the general populace, frequently involving the passive permission or public
engagement of law enforcement, and encouraged by governments' antisemitic policies. Attacks
on Jewish populations were also widespread in plenty of other European countries, like France
and Austria, among others.The emergence of Fascism in the early twentieth century brought
additional misery for many Jews in Europe, as prejudice became ingrained in the racist ideologies
in power. (Lipstadt, 2019)This is valid for Nazi rule and parties that collaborated either directly or
through connections with the Nazi regime in Germany during the Holocaust, but it also had an
impact on other cultures and institutions inspired by racial ideology.During the Holocaust, which
was carried out by Nazi Germany and its allies during World War 2, an estimated 6 million Jews
were ruthlessly slaughtered for no cause other than the fact that they were Jews.Antisemitism is
still prevalent in Europe today, despite the fact that it's more difficult for the people to recognize
and admit in some circumstances. Jewish cemeteries have been desecrated in recent years, Jews

are frequent targets of hate speech, and they are often physically assaulted. Antisemitism in
mainstream European societies is prevalent, with intermittent increases, according to research.
 Gender based discrimination: Discrimination between men and women because of their
biological sex is also an evident manifestation of discrimination.(Gregory, 2003) The workplace
gender based discrimination can be in the form of less pays for the women.Women are usually
payed less than men for the same amount and type of work There are lesser job opportunities
for the women. They are a victim of gender stereotypes. Moreover, they are more commonly
the victim of sexual harassment. They are usually seen as the object of pleasure only and if they
are seen doing work they are subjected to insult and useless accusations. They are subjected to
jokes and and are considered of lesser brain. In addition to tat in some places women are not
even given the basic right of education based on religion, culture and biases. If a family can
afford to educate one child only, the obvious choice is a boy. Stereotypes are also associated wit
male gender. They're supposed to act hard and tough all the time. (Save the Children,
2021)There is a lot of pressure on them regarding the care of family. Their emotional needs are
not met thus accounting for greater incident of depression and suicide in men. All these
problems can be avoided if men and women, both are treated equally and with respect.
Combating Discrimination:
According to the (UDHR), every human being has the right to exist in a world free from prejudice and
inhumane treatment because we are all born free and equal in rights and dignity. In order to combat
discrimination, awareness-building comes first.This should start at personal level. Learn yourself and
then educate others as it is the individuals that give rise to a society
Listen to the concerns of those who are a victim of racism on a daily basis, such as friends,
neighbours, and local representatives. There are also innumerable books, documentaries, videos, and
podcasts about racism, prejudice, and privilege.(Ohrc.on.ca, 2012)Listen carefully to the person and
analyze them critically.Recognize and address your bias.. Be ready to be uncomfortable at times.
Many of us develop biases and preconceptions at a young age, making them difficult to unlearn.Share
the resources you've found helpful with your neighborhood to assist them in understanding racism
and discrimination and what they can do to help stop it.
Reference list
Australian Human Rights Commission (2022). What Is Racism? [online]
humanrights.gov.au. Available at: https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/race-
discrimination/what-racism.

Bekerman, Z. (2020). Reflection on the Dangers of ‘Cultural Racism’ in Intercultural
Education. Journal of New Approaches in Educational Research, 9(1), p.1.
doi:https://doi.org/10.7821/naer.2020.1.534.
Council of Europe (2012). Discrimination and Intolerance. [online] Council of
Europe. Available at: https://www.coe.int/en/web/compass/discrimination-and-
intolerance.
Gregory, R.F. (2003). Women and workplace discrimination : overcoming barriers to
gender equality. New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press.
Jeffery Scott Mio and Awakuni, G.I. (2013). Resistance to Multiculturalism.
Routledge.
Lipstadt, D.E. (2019). Antisemitism : here and now. New York: Schocken.
Ohrc.on.ca. (2012). 17. Preventing and responding to discrimination | Ontario
Human Rights Commission. [online] Available at: https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/policy-
preventing-discrimination-based-mental-health-disabilities-and-addictions/17-
preventing-and-responding-discrimination.
Save the Children (2021). Gender Discrimination Causes Inequality Between Girls
and Boys Around the World. [online] Save the Children. Available at:
https://www.savethechildren.org/us/charity-stories/how-gender-discrimination-
impacts-boys-and-girls.
Smith, T. (1993). Modern Racism: A Cross-Cultural View of Racial and Ethnic
Attitudes. All Graduate Theses and Dissertations. [online]
doi:https://doi.org/10.26076/dc89-57ca.