The Prodigal Interculturalist

As a new decade begins – a new Roarin’ Twenties – I reflect on the year past as one brimming with mixed blessings: An increasing number of organizations began or renewed their equity, diversity and inclusion journey.  Some, however, started the journey but abandoned it. One CEO told me although he supports an EDI initiative, “We’re just not ready yet.” This after all staff and board members had been surveyed, interviewed and taken intercultural development assessments.

The highlight of the year for me was delivering the keynote address at the Society for Intercultural Education Training and Research (SIETAR) conference in Atlanta, GA. SIETAR’s mission is to promote and facilitate intercultural competence development by enhancing awareness of intercultural issues and to improve intercultural relations around the world. It is a daunting task, especially in today’s polarized world.

The theme of the Atlanta conference held Oct 30- Nov 2, 2019, was “From Adversity to Diversity: The Role of the Interculturalist.” Delegates were reminded of the many challenges being faced in dealing with the changing dynamics of diversity that can leave some people “reeling, feeling uncertain, or perhaps even threatened.”

The conference explored the role of the interculturalist in meeting these challenges. The topic of my keynote address was “The Prodigal Interculturalist.”

Here is an edited version, along with some excerpts, of my speech:

An interculturalist is defined as someone who is “a chameleon”, “someone who is comfortable in more than one culture” or “someone who can be a bridge between cultures”. The Interculturalists’ Community Project says: “The interculturalist is always on the lookout for intercultural experiences…they analyze themselves as much as they analyze the “other”. They are (constantly) making decisions on how to modify one’s behaviour in intercultural situations and are aware of their own values, norms, expectations and beliefs.”

Charles Dickens wrote in a Tale of Two Cities: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” He could have been writing about today’s world and not about the conditions that led up to the French Revolution 171 years ago.

If you are like me, there have been times when it feels like we are living in the worst of times – wars, rumours of war, climate change, racism and growing intolerance against the “other”.

We are living in polarized times. Where each “side” is engaged in a nearly existential fight against each other, sometimes retreating to their respective corners; refusing to meet in the middle -- in that space where they could, maybe, just maybe, better understand each other. But we should remember that “this too shall pass. The earth will continue to turn on its axis, the sun will rise and light will replace darkness. I believe that each of us, as interculturalists, has a role to play in shedding more light than heat onto this very polarized world.

I’m sure many of you are aware of the parable of the prodigal son...otherwise known as the wayward and irresponsible son.  It’s a story about a son who is given a great inheritance by his father, but he squanders it. He returns home broke and broken.  But rather than rebuke him, much to the dismay of the son who had stayed behind and worked hard for their father, the father welcomes him with open arms, puts on a feast with the finest food and gave a great big party for his return.

Because of the parable, people often associate “prodigal” with wastefulness and the reckless spending of money. But there is another meaning to “prodigal”.…it is to give lavishly, without judgement and with forgiveness.

But as much as the son in the parable was “prodigal”, so was his father. He welcomed his son extravagantly without judgement and with forgiveness.

I believe to be an effective interculturalist means we must be more prodigal. We must be more forgiving, more open, more understanding. But sometimes it means we must also be willing to be more vulnerable. Researcher and TED speaker Brene Brown says in order for connection to really happen we have to allow ourselves to be seen; to be vulnerable. That, she says, takes real courage.

If we take seriously the many things that we teach (even preach) as interculturalists, and if we say that it’s helpful for people to explore the roots of their own beliefs and values, then we must be prepared to do the same for ourselves.

The video of a young man hugging and forgiving the police officer who shot and killed his brother generated a lot of conversation in the news and on social media. Some people celebrated the young man’s generosity of spirit towards the police officer. Others say the young man should not have forgiven her. They say he, like so many before him, had fallen victim to the phenomenon of “white women’s tears.” Others ask: “Why is it that black people are always the ones forgiving white people?”

They point to the forgiveness offered by parishioners after the massacre of nine innocent black people in a church in Charleston. And now this? After all, they argue, if it had been a young black man on trial for killing a white police officer under similar circumstances there would be no forgiveness; there would be demand for a penalty longer than 10 years or even the death penalty.

I understand and appreciate these perspectives. These are complicated and complex emotions. And I may even agree with some of them. Yes, sometimes I too get mad as hell. But I also suspect that when you have lost so much as the Jean family and those good folks in Charleston have, all that’s left to give is forgiveness. By forgiving the woman who killed his brother maybe this young man was unburdening himself, not her.

We know that polarization begets polarization. But how do we find that middle ground so intercultural competence development – bridging across differences - can begin? This is the task of the prodigal interculturalist. Knowing when and where to make that distinction. Knowing when to get righteously pissed off and when to work on our own intercultural development as well as helping others.

In working with individuals and organizations for 20 years, I sometimes bump up against my own limitations. I am constantly reminded to be more prodigal. To stop and listen.

The world has become more complex and polarized. But as interculturalists, diversity practitioners, diversity and inclusion strategists, educators, or however we identify ourselves, we are called upon to not only help others welcome diversity but to understand it. And to show a clear path for inclusion in organizations.  Inclusion is the messy part of the diversity and inclusion paradigm. It calls on all of us to do things differently. To get out of our zones of comfort. It won’t be easy. It has never been.

St. Francis of Assisi’s Prayer of Peace speaks to the very heart of what it means to be a prodigal interculturalist.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love

Where there is injury, pardon

Where there is doubt, faith

Where there is despair, hope

Where there is darkness, light

Where there is sadness, joy.

Love for each other, even when we are on different “sides”.

Pardon -- as you would wish to be forgiven.

Faith -- that each of us has it within us to be part of the solution.

Hope -- that we can, together, help our polarized communities to reach that middle ground, and perhaps grow a deeper understanding of each other.

Light – that we as interculturalists can shed light, not heat.

And, finally, Joy – the joy we find in exploring not only what we have in common with each other but also our unique differences.

If the start of the new year is any indication of what’s to come, we have work to do. I trust, like me, you are up for the challenge.