HOW TO DEAL WITH CULTURAL SHOCK? – THE CASE OF BOSNIAN IMMIGRANTS IN THE USA

HOW TO DEAL WITH CULTURAL SHOCK? – THE CASE OF BOSNIAN IMMIGRANTS IN THE USA

Doc.dr. Alic, Amel

Question of overcoming the cultural shock and assuming the position in relation to the new culture is very important, not only for a great number of modern societies coloured by multicultural elements and need to most adequately answer the demands of minority groups, but it is also important for understanding the problems of immigrants and IDP groups within a society. Seen from the perspective of the sociology of education and sociology of family but also culturally sensitive pedagogy, understanding the stages of cultural shock is therefore applicable in working with minority groups, immigrants and IDP families and individuals but also in understanding the needs of a large number of Bosnians who have fled Bosnia in recent decades and found a refuge and a chance for a new life in some of the countries of the EU, the USA or Australia. In our researches, by using Questionnaire of Cultural Sensitivity with members of two generations, and applying the systematic observation of behaviour and communication in natural conditions, we came to a number of interesting conclusions. Specifically, it is obvious that the first generation (today‘s parents) experienced a cultural shock when faced with the norms of the new society in which they had to integrate, but for their children, due to the absence of stronger ties with the country of origin, the cultural shock began the moment they opened up the process of familiarization with the culture of origin, culture of their ancestors. The logical consequence of such strategies of facing the new culture, especially because of the lack of sense of emotional and intellectual capital regarding parents‘ generation, seeks to compensate with the increased activities in the area of creating social capital. This capital is most easily achieved through forms of association in a jam, cultural clubs and the like. Unfortunately, social capital which is not followed by the accumulation and production of appropriate emotional and intellectual capital, with a number of immigrants has resulted in placing the position of assimilation on one or seclusion on the other side as stereotypical strategies to find an outlet in situations of intellectual encounters.

Conference or Workshop Item
PeerReviewed

2011-05

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