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A multicultural home brings with it several advantages, one being that it teaches children the importance of cultural relativism; that is, that the behavioral and social norms that define one culture are not to be preferred over another. A diverse nuclear family can also help children take the perspective of others who may hold different values or adhere to divergent beliefs. The pressure to assimilate into another culture may seem daunting to a child at first, but ultimately it leads them to use their own reason and intuition to determine the correct way to act in a variety of situations.
A great vantage point from which to observe how cultures differ in their values is to examine kinship terminology between societies. For instance in the Unites States, one would call their father's brother uncle. However in some tribal societies, the Iroquois for example, one would address their father's brother with the same term they use to address their father. This may seem odd to other societies, but with an objective approach, one realizes that this bifurcate merging acts to bolster the integrity of the tribe as a whole. The ethical implications are of great importance, as the tribe is seen as more important than the nuclear unit in such cultures. In a different fashion, the focus in American culture is the nuclear unit, or basic household (i.e. mother, father, children, etc.). In light of these and other differences, children growing up in a multicultural home may find it easier not to hold their own beliefs in higher esteem than the traditions and practices of another culture.
Another factor to bear in mind is the context of various cultures. America, on the one hand, is a low context culture (perhaps due to the many different heritages from which citizens come). What this means is that there is more a focus on verbal communication, a more stringent sense of time and a greater need for explanation in various situations. Take France on the other hand, which is a low context culture that uses polychronic time, which is more flexible in nature than the US. This is another avenue for misunderstanding between cultures if one does not have comprehensive knowledge of these concepts.
An understanding of these and other relevant concepts also helps parents understand what are known as, "riddles of culture." This is to say that certain customs may seem as though they do not make very much sense from an outsider's point of view, but from a subjective perspective these customs are indeed meaningful.
Understanding the social tendencies of variant societies is also paramount to reducing cultural tension. There may be certain behaviors in one country that are seen as disrespectful, yet those in another country these very same behaviors may not be seen as disrespectful. It is for this reason that learning the accepted norms and taboos of various societies is necessary for one to fluidly integrate with a new society. This does not mean that one has to abandon their own cultural identity, but simply that they should try to view their behavior through the eyes of another who may have been raised in a different manner.
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Jim Donahan is an anthropologist who has just recently finished his undergraduate education. The focus of his studies were the sociocultural aspect of Anthropology. He contributes to Degreejungle.com, a resource for college students.
