What’s in it for you?

Critical thinking 

A metaphor that’s often used to describe the cultural analytic approach is that of digging or diving beneath the surface. Indeed, it challenges the superficial dominant views and crashes stereotypes by always trying to get to the heart of the matter. 

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For example, people often practice certain rituals and routines as a tradition or a habit (like shaking hands, drinking tea, or celebrating holidays) without wondering why we do this. We tend to think it’s something natural and has always been there, so it can simply be taken for granted. A meticulous cultural analysis helps unpack these routines and show how they really came into being and have been naturalised in our cultures over time, without us noticing. For example, it looks at how they vary across countries and different historical periods. How the wider social context and things like class, gender, nationality, generation or religion affect people's behaviour and habits. At the end of the day, it convinces you that nothing in the world is what it seems and you need to always problematize your assumptions to arrive at the truth, instead of resorting to easy explanations. But this way you learn to be more conscious of your judgments and see the familiar things in a new light!

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Getting to know new cultures

...through objects and places

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Have you ever wondered what things like houses, gardens, food & beverages or railway stations can reveal about a culture? what they can tell about people’s values, emotions and worldviews? The exciting thing about cultural analysis is that by analysing little fragments of everyday life, you can unfold some really deep meanings that you wouldn’t have realised otherwise. This is a great way to get to know new people and places better: both at home and abroad.

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Embracing diversity

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Anthropology and cultural analysis are also a pretty good remedy against rigid thinking, ethnocentrism and conservatism. The insider view encourages you to experience the daily lives of other people in person, and not as an external observer. After navigating another culture for some time, you sort of absorb elements of it to the extent that it becomes a part of your own identity. This greatly affects your way of thinking: you become more empathetic and open-minded and are less prone to judge other people because they seem different or “weird”. 

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Cross-cultural encounters also make you more aware of your own identity and cultural background, teach you to abstract from it a little bit. This ultimately helps you become a more conscious person and makes your life more meaningful and rich.

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„As the traveler who has once been from home is wiser than he who has never left his own doorstep, so a knowledge of one other culture should sharpen our ability to scrutinize more steadily, to appreciate more lovingly, our own.“

—  Margaret Mead

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To acquire this perspective, you don’t necessarily have to study anthropology at university or conduct full-fledged field research. Anyone who moves to another country, goes on a trip, or wants to get a better understanding of their local community/ organization, can learn reflexivity, serendipity and an insider's look. All you need is to remain curious and open to new experiences and insights, learn to observe carefully, ask the right questions and use your senses and imagination. And, of course, follow certain principles of the cultural-analytical approach, which I’m going to talk a lot about here in this blog!

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Practical Tips & Exercises 

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If you're eager to start exploring the world from the perspective of cultural anthropology, then here are some practical things you may want to do for a start:

1. Conduct a cultural analysis of a familiar practice: Choose a habit or activity that is known to you, such as making coffee, going to the gym, or greeting people, and analyze it from a cultural perspective. What does this practice reveal about our culture, our values, and our beliefs, for example? How has it changed throughout the years? What do various cultural interpretations and meanings of this practice mean?

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2. Consider your own cultural background through engaging in cultural self-reflection. Your race, nationality, religion, language, and family history may be included in this. Think about how these elements have shaped your thoughts, principles, and actions. How, for instance, has your upbringing in a religious home shaped your views and attitudes toward other faiths? How does coming from a collectivist culture affect your opinions on individualism and personal success? You can start to comprehend how cultural biases can affect your interactions with others by recognizing your own cultural background and considering how it has influenced your ideas and behaviors. You can improve your cultural competency and appreciation for diversity in both your personal and professional relationships by being more self-aware.

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3. Compare and contrast your own culture with those you come into contact with on a regular basis. You can have a more nuanced knowledge of how various cultural customs and beliefs influence behavior by doing this.

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4. Do interviews: Interview individuals from various cultural backgrounds to learn about their viewpoints and experiences. Learn more about the ways that culture affects people's lives and identities. Engage in active listening whenever you interact with others. This is participating actively in the conversation, asking questions, and making an effort to comprehend the other person.

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