the MULTICULTURAL PROFICIENCY PROJECT

2009-01-11T21:03:00.000-08:00

COMMITTED TO MULTICULTURAL TRAINING FOR HELPING PROFESSIONALS

Current emphasis (updated 12/24/11)

I am dedicated to doing multicultural training whenever asked and whenever time permits. I am, however, a very busy person. I find that multicultural skills are needed in all that I do: 1. in my work at the church (my day job!) that now includes Japanese Americans, Chinese Americans, Indonesian Americans, Vietnamese Americans, Korean Americans, Latino Americans, European Americans in a regularly attending group of about one hundred; 2. in teaching at the seminary in the D.Min, program (this year among nine students there was an African American, a European American, a Native American and six Koreans); 3. in my occasional contribution as an Indonesian language interpreter. I am also committed to the professional academic dialogue. A book response of mine on fundamentalist worldview was just published in Pastoral Psychology. I have submitted an article to the Asian American Journal of Psychology on worldview in counseling at the editor's request and I am working on a journal response to a book written by a Psychology professor at the University of Amsterdam on "cultural psychology of religion." All these activities come together in the study of "worldview" in a multicultural setting which is now where I focus my intellectual growth.

Intellectual journey

When I graduated from the Gymnasium in The Netherlands, I knew I wanted to be a helping professional. I chose medicine and was promptly denied a spot thanks to a national academic lottery. My next three choices were theology, cultural anthropology and psychology. I selected theology with chaplaincy as a vague career goal. After two years it was time to spread my wings. I wound up in Claremont CA which (with Howard Clinebell) was then the hub of the pastoral counseling world. By then experiences with "Chicanos" in Texas and Arizona had awakened a cross-cultural fascination in me which was strengthened by a residency at Hawaii State Hospital and an interim pastorate on one of the most remote Indian reservations in the US. Back in The Netherlands I was trained for overseas work and was posted to a large hospital in Central Java with a chance to work in the wards and the villages as a counselor, trainer and social worker. I credit the hospital with allowing me to develop a holistic vision of care. At the same time the cultural interest kept deepening. A former Central Java Supreme Court judge allowed me to write about his royal family in Solo in a book published by Oxford University Press. This is how I became more enamored with cultural issues and consequently made cross-cultural counseling my expertise. In 1995 Church World Service hired me as country director for Indonesia and East Timor, thrusting me into economic development issues. Visits to Cambodia and East Timor that year opened my eyes to what can happen to a country when all its educated people are massacred, starved or disappeared. The national terror was physical, social, psychological and spiritual. I took to fiction writing because I realized that I could not describe my insights into South East Asian life fully within the bounds of any discipline. Only the holistic view of a narrative might achieve that. While writing I settled into pastoring a Japanese American (and now multicultural) congregation in the US whose members had suffered greatly in the WWII internment camps. In that setting I have spent much time offering counseling to cross-cultural couples from around Sacramento and fine-tuning my skills in that area of expertise.I see my varied experiences as necessary strengths that underpin my occasional workshops. All the helping professions have their maps of the human spirit (just like demographical, topographical and other maps form an atlas), but human beings in pain defy disciplinary boundaries. The world needs experts who work within the lines, but also those who cross them. Criss-crossing them has been my vocation.

Teaching and training experience:

2009-present Adjunct professor in the Doctor of Ministry program, San Francisco Theological Seminary, San Anselmo CA

2004-2007 Adjunct Professor for Critical Perspectives II (interfaith religious autobiography), Saint Mary’s College of California, Sacramento/Tracy programs in management.
1991-1994 and 1995-1996 Lecturer in pastoral care and counseling, Jakarta Theological Seminary, Jakarta, Indonesia.
1993-1998 Doctoral Studies advisor, pastoral counseling, South East Asia Graduate School of Theology, Singapore.
1984-1987, 1991-1994: Salatiga and Jakarta, Indonesia: Co-founder, trainer and supervisor of the first two programs in clinical pastoral education in Indonesia (for pastors, nurses and social workers).

1983-87 Lecturer in counseling, psychology, group dynamics and personality theory, Satya Wacana Christian University, Salatiga, Indonesia.

Publications

Cross-Cultural Counseling. (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1996).

From the book:"The departure point of this book is the idea that cross-cultural ... care must aim to encourage people away from brokenness and toward wholeness in all aspects of their lives. Wholeness ideally would include reconciliation and the restoration of communication in personal relations, acceptance of one's own talents and shortcomings, integration of one's value system-in-process, a harmonious experience of one's faith, as well as behavior consistent with one's self-concept, values....and the nature of one's relationships. ....in cross-cultural...counseling all these issues in their interconnectedness should be of concern."

Review: "The heart of van Beek's model surfaces as he examines case studies where there is an obvious cultural difference between the way the caregiver and the careseeker view reality. I recommend this book as a practical guide to doing cross-cultural counseling."(Edward P. Wimberley in The Princeton Seminary Bulletin, p. 334/5 Vol. XVIII, 3, 1997)

Life in the Javanese Kraton. (book on the Muslim culture of Central Java) (Singapore: Oxford University Press, 1990).

from the book: "....from the Kraton the reign continues-not a reign over the treasury, or over aged soldier in their eclectic eighteenth-century uniforms, or over any affairs of the Indonesian state, but over the Javanese way of life and the Javanese soul."

Review: "Visitors who see the rather tawdry, corrugated-iron roofed edifices may wonder at their importance, which is largely spiritual. They represent, rather than are, and as van Beek comments in his work, the rulers never had vast sums at their disposal." (Michael Smithies, Bangkok Post, 1990)

Island of Shadows (Bloomington: Authorhouse, 2005) (novel )

From the book: "I have been told that where you are, on the Equator, there are no shadows at noon. I hope you stepped on the line and that for once you have become a man without shadows."

Preview:"......well-formed, well-written, and above all well-told, at once thrilling and touching. It is sensous in observation, brisk in style, with a serious burden, religious underneath. " (H.H. Meier, Emeritus Professor of English Literature, Free University of Amsterdam)

From the Heart of Java (Jakarta: Pustaka Sinar Harapan, 1997). (short stories)

from the book: I relinquish my youthful dreams, my sins, my love and some of my grief to those waves, but I retain my longing, for while in its power I am gripped by a slow dying, I soar also, ever higher, in pursuit of things unspeakable."

In the Shadow of Merapi (Yogyakarta: RS Bethesda, 1983). (poetry and short story)

from in the Shadow of Merapi: "the smoking sentries, Merapi and Merbabu have mostly silently stood watch, for centuries, piercing the white clouds they only occasionally belch out their cropped up emotions...."

Review: "A poem is a painting in words. In that sense I find Aart van Beek to be a fine painter...There are more people from the West who lost their heart to Indonesia...but do you remember one Western poet who was able to translate his love for the land into verse?" (J. van der Linden, in Centraal Weekblad, The Netherlands, 1984).

Called to Justice, Action, Mercy (with Cathy Myers-Wirt) (St. Louis: Christian Board of Education, 1998).

Struggle for Health, Birthpangs of a holistic approach to illness in Indonesia (Yogyakarta: RS Bethesda, 1984).

In: James Farris ed. International Perspectives on Pastoral Care and Counseling (New York: The Haworth Press, 2002) (simultaneously published in the American Journal of Pastoral Counseling).

Pastoral psychology (3)
The South East Asia journal of Theology (1, 1 book review)
The Asia Journal of Theology (2)

Crossing Boundaries (Geneva: World Council of Churches, 1984)

E-publising: Plainviews

Indonesian:

Konseling Pastoral (pastoral counseling) (Semarang: Penerbit Satya Wacana, 1987).

Strategi Pelayanan Terpadu (Strategy for Integrative Care) (Jakarta, Pelkesi, 1991).

Mendampingi Orang Sakit (Caring for the Sick) (with Totok S. Wiryasaputa). (Yogyakarta: RS Bethesda, 1983).

Pendampingan Pastoral (Pastoral Care) (Jakarta: BPK Gunung Mulia, 2001)

Menolong Penderita Alkoholisme dan Ketergantungan Lain (Helping the Alcoholic and Otherwise Addicted). (Jakarta: Pelkesi, 1994).

in: Holistic Bulletin (5), the journal of the Indonesian Christian Association for Health Services

the national "Suara Pembaruan" newspaper in Indonesia (2 columns on social issues)

Dutch:

Hart van Java (Heart of Java), (Rotterdam:Indonet, 1999). (short stories and poetry)

Review: "Aart van Beek paints an astonishingly good picture of the society there, especially the paralyzing effect of the ....ex-government (Joop van den Berg, Trouw, The Netherlands, 1999).

Community Service Experience

2008- Assisted in training for Asian immigrants at Sacramento Child Protective Services
2007- Volunteered as counselor and spiritual care giver at Juvenile Hall Sacramento.
2000-2005 Developed a church-based family mentoring outreach to downtown Sacramento Latinos.
1998-2001: Chair Philippine Partnership Committee, Presbytery of Sacramento.
1995-1996: Country co-director Church World Service, Indonesia and East Timor.
1989-1990 Chair Mission, Social Justice and Peacemaking Committee, Presbytery of Sacramento
1991-1994: Counseling consultant to the Indonesian Christian Association for Health Services (based at Cikini Hospital), Jakarta, Indonesia.
1982-1984: Hospital social worker and counseling trainer, Bethesda Hospital, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Volunteered as nurse's aid to typhoid and tuberculosis patients.
1980-1981. Member Education Committee, Hospice Care of Sacramento.
Winter 1980 Volunteer Hadassah Hospital, East Jerusalem, Israel.Summer 1974 nurse's aid at neurological hospital in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Education

1992 D. Th., National University of Utrecht, The Netherlands and the South East Asia Graduate School of Theology, Singapore in cross-cultural pastoral counseling (degree by the latter).
1980 D.Min., Claremont School of Theology, in pastoral counseling and theology.
1978 M.Th., Perkins School of Theology, SMU, Dallas TX (served as President of the International Student Association at SMU from 77-78).
1975 Propedeuse degree (followed by an additional year of coursework, Free University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands) in Biblical languages, social studies and Spanish.
Additional: Clinical Pastoral Education (Fall 1987/Spring 1988 Sutter Hospitals, Sacramento CA; Summer 1979, Hawaii State Hospital, Kaneohe HI; Summer 1978, Good Samaritan Hospital, Phoenix AZ).

Professional certification

Ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament, Presbyterian Church USA in good standing since 1981.
1997-present Pastoral Counseling Educator, American Association of Pastoral Counselors.
2008- Registered Court Interpreter, State of California.

Pastoral leadership experience

2002-2005: Pastoral consultant for a new Indonesian fellowship.
1996- present Pastor, Parkview Presbyterian Church, Sacramento CA (urban/ multicultural).
1988-1990 Interim pastor, Carmichael Presbyterian Church, Carmichael CA (large suburban).
Fall/winter 1981/2 Interim pastor, Owyhee Presbyterian Church, Duck Valley Reservation, Owyhee NV (rural/ Native American).
1980-1981 Youth director, Capital Korean Presbyterian Church (ethnic Korean), Sacramento CA.

The structure of multicultural proficiency training

2008-04-24T16:19:00.000-07:00

In the entries below I present a discussion of the essential structure of multicultural proficiency training, i.e. the exploration of identity, sense of belonging, worldview, identification, language and integration. Whenever I have done trainings, retreats or workshops on the subject these were the components that I have used as starting point. They were determined painstakingly in the process of developing a cross-culturally valid approach to counseling over a decade ago. Since then it has become apparent that these components or categories, when explored skillfully, provide enormous insight into individual and collective functioning in diverse cultural and professional contexts. For comments and questions, please contact aartvanbeek@yahoo.com.

The power of symbol

2008-04-10T23:49:00.001-07:00

Several of the older men in my church served in the military in Europe during World War Two, most of them as part of a Japanese American unit. One man who died two weeks ago, was featured in the Ken Burns directed PBS series “The War.” His brother had been among the troops who liberated the Dachau Concentration Camp. In fact he was the one who removed the Nazi Swastika Flag that flew over that horrible place. Their youngest brother, another member of the church, had that flag in his house in Sacramento for many years until his wife made him get rid of it. Can you imagine having that flag in your house, a symbol of so much evil and injustice, and then get rid of it?. It was one of the most powerful, and perhaps the most terrifying, symbol of the twentieth century. But holding that symbol could give a sense of power too, because that symbol can no longer hurt in the same way as before.

There are good and bad symbols all around us. Our clothes are symbolic, our hairstyles, the houses we live in, the cars we drive, the food we eat, the vacations we take, the tattoos and the jewelry we use to adorn ourselves. They all have symbolic power.

In multicultural proficiency training it is very important to be aware of symbols. We see them in the workplace (e.g. the cubicle is a symbol). Symbols have helped bind us emotionally to our environment and our group or to our cause. Just look at the politicians who wear their little lapel flags. That has very strong symbolic meaning. It has almost taken on the meaning of support for the Iraq war, although in itself it is just a lapel pin with a flag attached to it.

Every organization has symbols that help define them (Best Buy has these little VW Beetles with the words “Geek Squad" on them). But how can we address symbolism in organizations? The answer is: by using our same keywords as starting-off point. Let me explain. First symbol has to do with identity. In English football (i.e. soccer) fans wear their team colors and have adopted an anthem all their own. The symbols help gain a sense of identity. The same can be said for sense of belonging. Symbols give us a sense of belonging (the Nazi flag did that). Symbols can also strengthen our worldview. An organization like the Ku Klux Klan used symbols (clothing, burning crosses) to give people identity, sense of belonging AND worldview. We all know that powerful human beings have become so symbolic that it makes people able to identify. Furthermore language can be symbolic or accompany symbol. Symbols also help bring together identity, sense of belonging and worldview etc, through integration.

So this shows once again that the categories our keywords point to can be used in various flexible ways, in this case in relationship to “symbol.”.

Beneath the surface

2008-03-27T11:57:00.000-07:00

After Barack Obama came under fire for his pastor’s statements about race and country recently, he wrote an eloquent speech that has been widely yet selectively quoted in the media. Obama’s speech was published on March 18, 2008 by New York Times among others. As an ordained Presbyterian minister I have a professional interest in the speech and the situation that necessitated it. It shows –ironically- that in a nation where church and state are officially separated, how deep the connection between religion and patriotism (civil religion) and between race and religion is. What interests me from the perspective of multicultural proficiency is Obama’s ability to address two issues. The first is: the question of what lies beneath the surface of everyday interracial relationships and second, the question of racial and cultural stereotypes that underpin our cross-cultural interactions.
Yesterday, as I was sitting on the light rail train from Downtown Sacramento to by home, I overheard a conversation between a European American and an African American man. The two knew each other- my guess was that they both worked for the public transportation system- and the conversation was mundane. One of them was making a concerted effort at making conversation, while the other wasn’t in the mood for conversation but played along with the usual platitudes and small-talk expressions. These two men had a lot invested in getting along obviously, but it was apparent that underneath the surface there was a complexity that would only emerge in the event of an irreversible conflict. Now clearly, relationships are about a lot more than race and culture. Nevertheless in this country we operate with a racial/cultural filter in dealing with people. Whether we like it or not we look at relationships through the eye of race and culture, for we have been programmed to do so. Sooner or later our complex feelings will come out.
From a multicultural proficiency AND pastoral angle, Obama’s speech was strongest in its empathy: He was able to name African American anger and European American resentment. Perhaps only a multiracial person could pull off naming those feelings.
I believe that the approach MPP keywords invite (identity, sense of belonging, worldview, identification, language and integration in their interrelationship) are able to bring participants into an effective exploration beneath the surface. The terms and categories are not only multi-disciplinary in character, they represent core areas of human experience that call for in-depth dialogue. Problems are not solved unless they are solved beneath the surface also.
At the same time, by focusing on multicultural proficiency from the vantage point of the keywords, we avoid cultural stereotyping. We are far enough along in diversity thinking that the idea of race specific orientation is no longer doable. Who are Asian Americans or African Americans or European Americans etc. anyway? Can these groups and their idiosyncrasies be defined any longer. I don’t believe so. Barack Obama tells us that: “even though they all help form the puzzle, you cannot define me by my pastor or my grandmother or my mother or my father etc. You can only define me by me.” That is the overarching message I came away with. One that is immensely valuable in multicultural proficiency training.

Call to inter-disciplinary thinking in training

2008-03-13T21:49:00.000-07:00

Not long ago Richard Posner, a Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals published a book entitled “Public Intellectuals, a Study of Decline, (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2001). In it he argues the importance of intellectuals who have been trained in a specific field, but who can speak out credibly about issues that concern contemporary society. This type of “niche” (Posner, p. 5) thinker used to make courageous and intelligent statements that would be outside of her or his area of academic expertise, but because these thinkers were so respected precisely in their area, the public was willing to hear what they had to say on other topics.

“Public” is a strong word these days that when used in relation to persons implies “being widely known.” Thus the term does not apply to me. Nevertheless I do recognize and feel the need to speak out on major issues in society across disciplinary lines. In fact it is behind the creation of this modest site. The term “practical intellectual” may be more apt then, as much as that may sound like an oxymoron. I believe one cannot tackle the questions of multicultural proficiency training from one disciplinary angle only, nor do I think a discussion by specialists approaching it from different angles will necessary lead to a unified view.

Posner writes on page 51:”..academics are often smart and stupid, and this may not be sufficiently recognized by the laity. They are particularly likely to be both smart and stupid in an era of specialization, when academic success is likely to crown not the person of broad general intelligence but rather the person with highly developed intellectual skills in a particular field…The brilliant mathematician, physicist, artist, or historian may be incompetent in dealing with political and economic issues…But if the compartmentalization of competence and the underlying disunity of the self are not recognized-and they are not- a successful academic may be able to use his success to reach the general public on matters about which he is an idiot.”

I do not agree with everything Posner writes, but he does open the reader’s eyes to the need for viewing our society in a holistic way as this site is trying to do. The key words that operate at the center of my model of multicultural training are holistic terms that are at home in sociology, psychology, anthropology, philosophy, literature and religious studies. They are antithetical to the compartmentalization of experience. Identity is an inter-disciplinary category, so is sense of belonging, so is worldview, so are identification, language and integration. It is very hard to step outside of one’s field of expertise (in my case pastoral counseling) and write about health issues, cultural studies and try one’s literary luck, but nevertheless I have. I recommend it to those who come to the service of others with a specific expertise only to realize how limited the perspective is and how it calls for crossing over into other areas. It does mean stepping outside one’s comfort zone, but then it is outside the comfort zone that new strides are usually made. Multicultural proficiency requires understanding of management theory, organizational behavior, personality theory, religious worldview, sociology, cultural anthropology, education and other fields. It is in examining the contributions of these disciplines for multicultural training that I have found myself knowledgeable enough to be inspired by Posner’s study.

Key concepts and organizational culture change

2008-02-28T18:28:00.000-08:00

Edgar H. Schein in his “Organizational Culture and Leadership” (San Francisco: Jossey Bass, 2004, third edition) emphasizes how change in organizational culture can cause anxiety (p. 332/3). He suggests eight conditions for creating emotional safety that are crucial to success in bringing about transformational change. I am relating them to the key concept from the MPP glossary.

1. A compelling positive vision. The vision has to pull the members of the organization out of the status quo by showing them how change can make the organization function better. Leadership of the organization has to back and proclaim this vision. Here we see the “worldview” element of change . A vision is a expression of worldview which is dynamic and in process.

2. Formal training. The new culture may require skill and knowledge. For instance if new teamwork is necessary, the members of the organization need to be brought on board. There is an identity and integration element at work here: the workers are seeing themselves integrated within the new organization’s working through anew vision. This has implications for their identity.

3. Involvement of the learner. Schein believes that the workers must be given the chance to determine their own training process. Again there is identity development at work here: each worker who is learning to adapt in the new organization is able to mold and shape her or his identity in a healthy way.

4. Informal training of relevant “family” groups and teams. Training cannot just be provided to individuals, it must take place in groups also. This serves to redevelop and strengthen sense of belonging, one of the MPP key concepts.

5. Practice fields, coaches and feedback. Schein believes that “learners cannot learn something fundamentally new if they don’t have the time, the resources, the coaching and valid feedback on how they are doing. Again the key word is integration of self within the organization.

6. Positive role models. New ways of behaving and thinking will be different form what the learning workers are used. Therefore they must be able to see behavior and attitudes in people they can identify with. Here our identification concept comes to the fore.

7. Support groups in which learning problems can be aired out and discussed. Learning workers will face frustrations and therefore need to support each other in groups. This brings us back to our sense of belonging concept.

8. A reward and discipline system and organizational structures that are consistent with the new way of thinking and working. Here worldview becomes a factor along with language. The vision and goal of the change program must be consistent with the reward system that’s put into place. Worldview must be recognizable throughout and the language must reflect that worldview.

The eight conditions outlined here connect to the key concepts I have proposed, showing how valid they are, even though the theorist whose ideas are presented above was not aware of them.

Organizational culture, training and diversity

2008-02-14T17:03:00.000-08:00

When we view culture as “meaning providing processes” we naturally must define organizational culture as “meaning providing processes” within an organization. How can we take the terms from our glossary and assess organizational culture in a dynamic way?

We begin again with individual identity. Primarily the stratification of an organization has clear implications for identity. This is obvious, for instance, in the size and location of a manager’s office. Is the working space large and luxurious, then there will be implications for the identity of the manager and for the identity of underlings. If, however, all workers have a similar cubicle, it will affect the identity of all workers. They cannot determine who they are within the organization by the size and location of their office. But there many ways to determine individual identity within the organization: the size of one’s pay check, the impressiveness of one’s title, the years of one’s experience, the degrees one carries from outside. All these factors and more help determine personal identity in the workplace or other organization. In multicultural proficiency training it is important to begin by having active members of an organization reflect on their own self-image in process as they experience it in the organizational context. It will strengthen their sense of involvement and ownership.

Collective identity in an organization is determined by (1) the groups that form as a result of organizational culture that in turn is closely related to (2) the goal of the organization. For organizational change to occur effectively, members of an organization need to be guided in a reflection on their group identity or identities.

This brings us to sense of belonging. Members of an organization will not be effective if they don’t experience a healthy sense of belonging. They may feel like outcasts or as less than full-fledged members of the “in-group.” They may not know how to connect to predominant conversation or may not fit age or gender wise. An effective organization understands the belonging groups that exist within it and how they impact the functioning of that organization.

Worldview within organizations should focus primarily on a possible tension between the way the organization views its world, the way it goes about using the world to meet its goals and the worldview of those who work within the organization. What is at stake here is the worldview integrity of the organization. Once possible tensions are pinpointed, members of the organization should be challenged to address the tensions, inconsistencies and discrepancies. The facilitator must help participants articulate values in coherent and simple ways.

Identification helps members attain and strengthen identity, sense of belonging and worldview. A brief reflection might be held on how identifications have led to the development and change within the organization.

Language is necessary for communication. It mediates the meaning at the heart of the organizational culture. The facilitator should lead the participants in an examination of the language used in intra-organizational communication, in communication with clients and stakeholders and in marketing.

Integration is a final step in brief organizational multicultural proficiency training. The questions revolve around the conflicts between collective identity, belonging groups and organizational worldview and between language, collective identity and worldview as well as between all those aspects, language and the task of the organization. Can the task be done more effectively/ ethically? Should the task be changed as a result of the total reflection? Can it lead to new identity, sense of belonging and a consistent worldview, thus completing the circle of reflection?

Experiences in applying the glossary in multicultural training

2008-01-31T23:20:00.001-08:00

Recently I used the terms for multicultural training -explained in my last entry- in a retreat for a non-profit organization that is moving from a being ethnic to multicultural. First I explained the definition of culture so that participants understood its fluidity. We continued by looking at identity. I asked the question: what is your identity or what are your identities (i.e. what is your self-concept in process or what are your self-concepts in process)? Each person in the group had multiple answers. Then I had them analyze their answers to determine if there were any conflicts or tensions between the different identities they identified for themselves. This exercise was quite successful. Next I had them identify their belonging groups, the organization in question being one of them. This was a relatively easy exercise. I then had them move on to their worldview and pinpoint an area of belief or value where they were experiencing conflict.

I had them break into groups to discuss these internal conflicts and tensions within these three categories and to discuss the conflicts and tensions that they felt between the categories. To give an example, one person experienced a problem of professional identity that wasn’t in harmony with the social group where he felt a strong sense of belonging. Those with the same professional identity assumed he belonged in their group and enjoyed their activities while this wasn’t really the case. The social group had similar assumptions about his professional identity, refusing to take him completely serious as a member of their group.

Identity and belonging groups are less difficult categories while worldview is complicated. It is important that the facilitator clarifies the type of issues that the worldview might apply to (for instance religion or sexuality or politics or money). If not, participants will become confused. Next we looked at how identification strengthened identity, sense of belonging and worldview in their lives.

I concluded the first half of the session by explaining how language works in multicultural settings, especially how significant linguistic problems in one culture do not exist in another (for instance Indonesia has the same word (dia) for she and he which allows a lot of sexist language to be eliminated. Gender identification is less important than age differentiation.

Exploring these questions on a personal and inter-personal level makes the terminology real and practical for the participants. They become familiar with the glossary and experience a sense of ownership of terms. The really challenging part comes next: taking the glossary and applying it to the organization. First, I had them make a list of possible organizational identities (according to general members of the organization and according to those present, i.e. the leaders), followed by a determination of possible inconsistencies and overlaps. Second, we looking at sense of belonging. Here we encountered problems, because the participants had trouble seeing how belonging was impeded in the organization, how group openness was limited and how diversity impacted cohesion. Third, worldview also posed difficulty, for it was hard for the participants to boil and narrow beliefs that impacted the functioning of the organization.

The learning I took away from this particular training that the facilitator must guide the group toward specifity. When it comes to identity , he or she should try to suggest who determines these identities (e.g. outsiders, the parent organizations, stakeholders or beneficiaries or leaders). When it comes to sense of belonging, the facilitator needs to guide the discussion toward a strength-weakness analysis in belonging creation within the organization. When it comes to worldview, the facilitator should help identify belief and value categories that drive the organizations Only then can identification and language be explored fully.

A core glossary for multicultural training:

2008-01-17T21:02:00.000-08:00

The most important terms used in MPP multicultural training are the following:

Culture: culture consists of “meaning providing processes.” This is a broad dynamic term for all things that give meaning to any group. (Example: organizational culture).

Identity: this implies a self-concept or self-image in process of a particular individual or number of individuals. In a multicultural or otherwise diverse context a person will often deal with conflicting self-concepts in process that can cause anxiety or tension. (Example: strong man and gentle father).

Sense of belonging: this is a term that points to the groups within which an individual feels a sense of belonging. Sense of belonging is also in process. Often in a multicultural or otherwise diverse context individuals will experience tension between sense of belonging in one or more groups and sense of belonging in another group or several other groups. In addition a conflict between identity and sense of belonging in one or more groups can occur. (Example: religious person and gang member)

Worldview: this terms describes the values a person holds on a subject or subjects of significance (as opposed to a view about e.g. a favorite color of a car). The person in a multicultural or otherwise diverse context will try to reconcile one conflicting view with another, for the larger culture is not likely to do that for her or him. In addition tension between a self-concept and or belonging in a group can exist. (Example: a woman was raised a pacifist and marries an army colonel)

Identification: this terms points to a person or a group who see(s) him, her or themselves in other person or group, recognizing experience or characteristics or wanting to take on experience or characteristics of this person or group. Identification is a process also and is largely responsible for the formation of identity, sense of belonging and worldview. (Example: identification with sports figures can lead to a changing self-concept).

Language: language is that which we use to communicate: words in infinite combinations, appearance, music, body movements and expressions. Language too is in process and it is a powerful tool in the taking place of identification. (Example: each language has its own powerful expressions and metaphors, e.g. “hitting it out of the park").

Integration: integration is the process of achieving wholeness. Healthy persons, families and organizations all crave integration and wholeness, even though achieving it is a never ending task, for brokenness is always a threat and the danger of fragmentation always a reality. In persons in a multicultural or otherwise diverse context the integration of identity, sense of belonging and worldview through identification should be a main goal. (Example: a healthy church community longs to brings it members together in a common vision: identity, sense of belonging, worldview).

Philosophical foundation for multicultural training

2008-01-03T11:47:00.000-08:00

MPP multicultural training is designed to sharpen skills and develop proficiency in effectively communicating and collaborating with people of various cultural backgrounds in order to advance the work of one’s organization. Dr. van Beek has developed a training method that combines a fluid understanding of culture, an integrated understanding of changing persons within their changing organizations and deep insight emanating from vast experience.

1. Defining culture on the run. MPP utilizes a definition of culture that is broad, flexible and respectful. The definition goes beyond language, ethnic traditions and rituals, clothing, kinship structure, art forms and place of origin of ancestors etc. to a dynamic understanding of diverse human functioning. The definition utilized is “meaning providing processes.” Why this definition?

This definition has its origin in the work of symbolic anthropologists such as Clifford Geertz (e.g. The Interpretation of Cultures, Basic Books). Symbolic anthropology is one of several major schools of anthropological thought. Symbolic anthropologists often use the term “patterns of meaning” (e.g. Shweder and LeVine, Culture Theory, Cambridge University Press) to refer to culture. These “patterns” include everything that gives meaning to a group of people. With this definition of culture we can approach both e.g. Japanese village culture, international corporate culture and gang culture in Los Angeles. Thus included in these patterns of meaning are dress, music, sexuality, food, forms of transportation, financial management, use of power etc. The list can be quite long.

However, many of the cultures the symbolic anthropologists studied were traditional and established. In a global society cultures are constantly in process. For example, who can define a Korean American or African American these days? Migration and immigration are constantly changing the cultural landscape. It is becoming impossible to stereotype any individual. The term “pattern” is rather static and therefore the word “process” is more appropriate in the context of globalization. This is how we arrive at “processes of meaning.” These processes include again a long list of elements such as changing food habits, changing dress, changing music, changing relationships, changing money management, changing use of power etc. All these elements of culture are in the process of change. They provide meaning to groups in ways that are already changing. So this is how we arrive at the final definition of culture as “meaning providing processes.” This definition also includes much of religion, for religion to a large degree is culture as the symbolic anthropologists like Geertz have taught us (see his Religion of Java)(although the followers of that religion often have a difficult time recognizing how much culture has influenced their religious practices).

2. Integrating while you work. If the definition of cultures needs to be adapted to our rapidly changing global society, so every concept we use in multicultural training must be in harmony with this definition. In practice this means that every concept must itself be considered in process. Change is a given.

MPP also understands that we can take our concepts in an isolated way. They are dynamic and part of a whole. This is why the model utilized is holistic or “integrated,” as MPP prefers. Individuals in organizations are part of evolving systems in process. With this reality in mind MPP clusters its training around the interrelated focus areas of identity, sense of belonging, worldview, identification, language and integration. We will cover these areas in subsequent entries.

A new model

2007-12-20T13:56:00.000-08:00

Two days ago our church hosted the annual Christmas concert. It is always is an exercise in diversity, for people from almost every age as well as from almost every cultural and religious backgrounds fill the pews of the church as we host the Cosumnes College Contemporary Gospel Choir under the direction of Precious Craft. The first and last songs are sung together with our own, already diverse, choir. It occurs to me that this is how the Church is supposed to be: completely open, completely integrated and wholistic in bringing together the spiritual, social, relational and emotional aspects of life in an aesthetic experience that transcends all differences. We even took care of people’s physical needs as a great spread of food awaited the choirs and the audience. Of course it wasn’t perfect. Not everyone knew each other and I’m sure that some of the visitors did not feel completely at ease in a new environment. Nevertheless one could see what the Church is when it’s at its best. This is exciting and heartwarming and an apt illustration of what this site has been all about so far.

I have concluded that the Church as a whole tolerates diversity and even prides itself in the presence of cultural differences, but that it does very little to encourage it. By instinct the Church tends to encourage the sameness of its congregants in theology, social values and consequently appearance. History has shown that one dogmatically held point of view based on a few disputed verses can break the fragile body of a denomination as is obvious across the breadth of US mainline denominations now. So we face a fascinating paradox here: the Church at its best is perhaps the only body that can completely serve humanity in its wholeness, but at the same time it is the body least likely to embrace that service genuinely. It is not improbable that the Church will be last in welcoming people of all backgrounds, even though by definition everyone is welcome at worship. The major schisms in my own Presbyterian Church USA over the centuries have largely been a result of conflicts over inclusion. The consequence of homogeneity will be that without the checks and balances of a diverse body, congregations will continue to be at risk of psychological and political manipulation by leaders who are ill-advised and superficially educated.

I continue in my desire to serve the Church as a whole by sharing my experience and expertise in multicultural service and training, but I also want to use that experience and expertise to cast the net more widely. Other organizations and institutions are actively struggling with multicultural challenges. They too need guidance and direction. I would like to provide them training when my current “day” job will allow me to do so It has been one year almost to the day that I placed my first entry on this site. I believe it is time to expand the scope. So in the new year, expect to come to this site through the same web address, but also expect a different focus in multicultural service.