RUSSIADMIS ApproachCassandra Farr . EDF 2085 . 102613

STEREOTYPES/ASSUMPTIONS OF RUSSIANS The Soviets

Cold War Enemies

Communists

Corrupt

Smokers/Drinkers

Unreligious

Cold/Unfriendly

WHERE DO GAIN THESE VIEWS?

Media (Television, Newspaper, Movies)Cold War HistoryBiased Assumptions of Others

U.S. HISTORY WITH RUSSIA Russia sells Alaska to United States (1867)

U.S. allies with Soviet Union and other in WWII (1941)

The Cold War begins (1946)

President Truman vows to use arms to stop communist exp. (1950) The arms race begins

Race to Space (1957-1969)

Bay of Pigs/Cuban Missile Crises (1961)

Soviet Union falls, Cold War end (1991)

Russia pursues Republic government (1992-today)

RUSSIA-UNITED STATES TODAY• Today, Russian and the United States are on (for the most

part) friendly terms. They work together economically and socially. Many assumptions of Russia are based on past events. The two countries still continue to disagree on many topics, but as long as we can agree to disagree, and let those disagreements spark new ideas, then we can work together and learn to understand one another.

SO, WHO ARE THE RUSSIANS? Strong Natured

Smaller Families, Family Oriented

Well Educated

Still Adjusting to Social Responsibility

Patrons of the Arts

DMIS APPROACH

WHERE WE BEGINETHNOCENTRIC STAGES OF DMIS

DENIAL

• “They were born here, so they should know hot to do it the American way.”

• Dehumanizes outsiders

• Ignore the reality of diversity

• Separatists

• The classroom can be brought out of the stage by exploring other cultures through research & observation

DEFENSE

• Negative evaluation of cultural differences

• Us-them mindset

• “My way is the best way”

• The class needs to move past this stage. Stressing the commonalities of people (ie. both Russia and U.S. had to adjust to republic governments) helps students move forward

WHERE WE WILL BEMINIMIZATION

• Discovery of commonality

• Everyone should be treated the same

• Everyone shares the same reality

• The main key for movement out of this stage is cultural awareness

• Classroom activities to raise cultural awareness…

• Presentations on culture/history• ie. Present a PowerPoint on

Russia’s cultural history• Research difficulties

surrounding Russian adjustment to democratic culture

• Explore with classmates the cultural norms of Russia, compare with American

WHERE WE CAN BEETHNORELATIVE STAGES OF DMIS

ACCEPTANCEHOW CAN WE LEARN TO ACCEPT THE CULTURAL

DIFFERENCES/IDEAS RUSSIA HAS TO OFFER?

• Recognize/Appreciate cultural difference

• “The more cultures you know about, the more comparisons you can make”

ADAPTIONHOW CAN WE SHIFT FRAMES OF REFERENCE TO INTERACT

BEHAVIORALLY WITH OUR RUSSIAN CLASSMATES?

• Become more competent in ability to communicate across cultures

• Shift frames of reference

• Cultural and behavioral adaption

• “Movement into this stage is driven by need for action”

• The classroom can practice adaption technique by interaction• Pen pals, web based class, etc.

THE MAIN GOAL: INTEGRATION• Move freely within culture groups

• Internalization of bicultural or multicultural frames of reference

• Acceptance of identity not based on any one culture

This stage may not be something every student can achieve in the classroom, but can only be achieved through consistent personal work on cultural attitude. Practices in the classroom should prepare students to work on themselves so one day they will achieve this stage. This should be the goal of all students graduating from a school with a focus in multicultural education.

SOURCES• "Cold War." The History Channel. A&E Television Networks.

Web. 27 Oct 2013. <http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war>.

• Cushner, Kenneth, Averil McClelland, and Philip L. Safford. Human diversity in education : an intercultural approach. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print.

• "The Russian Mindset." Expat. The Moscow Expat Site. Web. 27 Oct 2013. <http://expat.ru/s_russian_mind.php>.

• United States. Department of State. 200 Years of U.S.-Russia Relations. Bureau of Public Affairs, Web.

<http://www.state.gov/p/eur/ci/rs/200years/>.