Cultural Values in Educational Contexts in Indonesia and the US

This is a response paper which discusses some values of educational practices in Indonesia and the United States (US) dealing with the high-stake tests, parents’ choice of schools, and teachers’ behavioral problems encountered. Some book references, journal articles, and class discussions are subjects in the accomplishment of this paper

A Genealogy of Emancipatory Values

Analytic moral philosophers have generally failed to engage in any substantial way with the cultural history of morality. This is a shame, because a genealogy of morals can help us accomplish two important tasks. First, a genealogy can form the basis of an epistemological project, one that seeks to establish the epistemic status of our beliefs or values. Second, a genealogy can provide us with functional understanding, since a history of our beliefs, values or institutions can reveal some inherent dynamic or pattern which may be problematically obscured from our view. In this paper, I try to make good on these claims by offering a sketchy genealogy of emancipatory values, or values which call for the liberation of persons from systems of dominance and oppression. The real history of these values, I argue, is both epistemologically vindicatory and functionally enlightening

Cultural Definitions of Health Care: A Case Study of Burmese Refugees in Indianapolis

As a result of ongoing civil war and civil unrest in the Southeast Asian country of Myanmar, every year, the United States accepts increasing numbers of refugees from Burma, of which there is a population of significance within the greater Indianapolis area. When considering options for health care, Burmese refugees may opt for self care instead of care from a health care professional as a result of clashing cultural factors or fears of the unknown. This study aims to uncover how members of the Chin ethnic group have been challenged or confronted by the social, cultural, and political institutions surrounding the United States health care system. What meanings and values have these groups assigned to their traditional health care practices? How have these practices been modified as a result of influence by the US health care model or through sociocultural experiences while living within the United States? What meanings have these refugees attached to their cultural beliefs about health care in contrast with the expectations found through the utilization of the US model of health care? It is important to understand the meanings and values that Chin refugees place on home remedies and traditional practices of medicines and how these meanings and values have come into contact with the American system. Uncovering the qualitative values of experiences had by members of this population will produce a basis for future study and an impetus for improved health care services

Can the goldfish see the water? A critical analysis of ‘good intentions’ in cross-cultural practice

We claim to hold values that our students are responsible and autonomous adults whose success in our courses is best facilitated by our understanding of and respect for their specific backgrounds. We wish to be judged on these values by feedback provided by our students and those with whom we work. However, how well, if ever, are we able to ‘see the water,’ the cultural conditioning that leads us to act in ways that seem supportive of our students to us, but may be perceived differently by them? In this paper, we present conflicting evidence around perceptions of our practice. We discuss where things have gone well, and where interventions have possibly been traumatic for the recipients. We question whether, and how, our practice cross-culturally can be safe. We challenge ourselves and others to think carefully about our responsibilities to our students, whether our privileged positioning obliges us to share and if so, how that sharing can occur in ways that validate and equally respect the values of those with whom we work

FROM THE CLASSICS TO TODAY: HOW MUCH HAVE VALUES CHANGED?

The classic novels offer wonderful insight into some of the dominant cultural values of pre-modern China. They portray values indirectly through character and narrative rather than through explicit identification, and they usually tell us which values are preferred or honored by the society and which are condemned, without telling us how widespread a particular set of values was, or which sectors of society tended to hold which values. An alternative approach to studying cultural values is the social science method of survey research, which allows us to measure cultural values directly and to describe culture as a quantitative distribution of values across a population. Of course survey research cannot go back in history to measure the distribution of values in the past. But if we compare the values presented qualitatively in classical literature with those described quantitatively in modern survey research, we can get some sense of the extent to which values have stayed the same or have changed since pre-modern times

HOW INDONESIA SHOULD DEAL WITH THE US: VALUABLE LESSONS FROM AMERICAN INDIAN LITERATURE

This paper will not talk much about the relationship between Indonesia and the US officially but will explore more the ways to deal with the US culturally. Like the other countries, Indonesia cannot escape from the American influence: be it politically, economically, technologically and even culturally. The three factors that usually become the important issues are the identity, geographically strategic Indonesian position for the US, and also religion. Unfortunately, Indonesia is unable to deal with the US in equity as two great nations. This fact only shows inferiority and the ‘doubled-standard policy’ conducted by the US make it worse. In the US perspective, there is no such a policy since all policies are for the US domestic interest and benefit. Therefore, Indonesia must be able to deal with the US using Indonesian perspective, for the sake of Indonesian domestic need. The most effective way to deal with the US in equity as the two great and respected nations is the cultural way, which is often neglected by the Indonesian governments. The cultural way to deal with the US has been significantly done by the American Indian people. After being invaded by the Europeans which was ceaseless and finally led to their destruction by the end of the 18th century and losing their identity as the Indian among the white society, in the end of the twentieth century they tried to gain back their identity and try to communicate and bargain with the US, their own official government in their culturally unique way. This is best exemplified in the globally-read-and-awarded American Indian literature which explore that identity is the core of a nation, of a people, to survive and to be respected by others. The American Indian experience is the best lesson for the Indonesian to deal with the US. Key words: dealing with the US, lesson from the American Indian literature, equally respected communication, Indonesian cultural values and identit

Muslim Women and United States Healthcare: Challenges to Access and Navigation

This paper offers an analysis of the interactions of Muslim women in the US healthcare system in order to unpack challenges and propose potential accommodations. Islam may inform values or considerations in the context of other cultural factors or present Muslim women with specific challenges in seeking healthcare based on Islamic teachings or social constructs. This paper examines these factors by elaborating on an overview of Muslim interpretations of healthcare using religious authorities, text from the Qur’an, and social norms. It then delves into challenges faced by Muslim women in the US healthcare system and the implications of those challenges and finally proposes improvements to help Muslim women to gain access to fair and equal healthcare in the US

Work Values: A Comparison Study Between Russia and the United States

Understanding what motivates people to work is a critical concern for management. In preparing students for a global economy, awareness of cultural differences is motivation is important. Researchers have studied the effect of cultural values and most recently generational cohorts in identifying motivational values. This study examines motivational work values of Russian and US. millennials/Generation Z. While the findings show that US. and Russians have become more similar in motivation than in earlier studies supporting research on generational cohorts, there are still important cultural differences separating the cohorts. Implications for business and suggestions for classroom use are given

Examining Cultural Influences on Dietary Behaviors among Mexican Americans with Low Acculturation

Mexican Americans represent approximately 63 percent of the total Hispanic population in the US and are disproportionately affected by health disparities related to poor nutrition status. With this community among the fastest growing populations in the US, it is critical to address the health disparities and the relationship between culture and diet to provide evidence-based nutrition interventions that are culturally sensitive to specific communities. The purpose of this cross-sectional exploratory study is to examine the relationship between cultural values and dietary behaviors among a low-income, urban, clinical sample of Mexican Americans using the Mexican American Cultural Values Scale, dietary assessment, anthropometric data, and medical records. The study findings showed a significant positive association between religion cultural values and nopal use for health reasons, as well as a significant positive association between mainstream cultural values and vegetable use for health reasons. Implications for future research include integration of these health beliefs into nutrition interventions and further examination of how health beliefs moderate or mediate the relationship between cultural values and dietary behaviors