Cultural Sensitivities in Global Education and International Programs

Teaching an international audience can be a complicated task. This last Saturday I had a “Qualitative Research Methods” class, which – I would have to say – is one of the better classes I’ve had here. The class combines masters and PhD students and covers qualitative research methods for business students. This last week was about observations and different selected readings were given to the masters and PhD groups. The reading for the PhD group was “Tearoom Trade” which, despite the innocent sounding title, covers “Impersonal sex in public places”, or namely – a study of public toilet homosexual encounters done in the states during the 1970s.

Now, for me this was an interesting read. There are some interesting ethical and social dilemmas regarding the research topic and how it was or should be conducted. Still, I didn’t think much of it. It was only when I was placed in a group with two other Vietnamese girls to present the first chapter of the book that I realized just how sensitive this kind of reading is.

At first, I was joking around with them, and after deciding with them that I’ll prepare the presentation and one of them will present, I thought it would amusing to put some exotic quotes in there that one of the girls could cruise through..

Having to present made her nervous enough, having to present -this topic- made her even more nervous, yet when she made the choice of just reading my presentation out-loud to the class (a presentation decision I especially dislike) her discomfort became even more extreme. At first I found it funny, then I felt confused, and finally I became worried. This might have been a really unpleasant experience for her, and I don’t mean just the presentation. Maybe, for some nationalities or cultural backgrounds, having to face this kind of academic material and discussion has its own ethical considerations. Yet, academic education should be free and open to include anything, right? are there limitations to academic education? should those be adjusted to cultural considerations and cultural sensitivity? maybe even to personal ones? what affect does this have on so-called “International programs” like the ones Taiwan is trying to build?

Your opinion and related comments would be highly appreciated.