Among all concepts in chapter four, the one that captured my attention is diasporic histories. A diasporic history is from the diaspora which means the massive migration that often caused by war, famine or persecution, that results in the dispersal of a unified group. The continuous narration of these diaspora leads to diasporic histories. Diasporic histories in the other hand are the histories of the ways in which international cultural groups were created through transnational migrations, slavery, religious crusades, or other historical forces.
There are many real life examples that we can see around us. It is whether we realize it or not. Few days ago, I went to a car workshop to get my car fixed. While looking at the appearance and the slang by the worker, I decided to ask of his origins. Although it was common for me to find Vietnamese people who have been living here with their families since Vietnam War ended, it was my first time talking to a Kurdish. That person told me that his father sent his entire family to escape to United States because of the war happening in Kurdistan. He added that he has lost many relatives due to that bloody war. Just like the Vietnamese people who own their “Little Saigon” market, these people also has brought their culture from Kurdistan and still accustomed to it although after living in United States for years.
This concept really gives me such a huge influence in intercultural communication in future because we are living in an interconnected world where we can go to any part of the world and get connected. Before I came to United States two years ago, I feel very burden because I thought it would be hard for me to be the black sheep in this foreign country. However, after meeting up few people in class or at the bus stop, I realized that I am not alone. There are many other people who are struggle even harder than me to adapt here. These people are not here to study for few years but they are starting a new life, in a foreign land. Furthermore, they have created their own community and set an environment that allows them to feel at home. Plus, this intercultural communication also helps when these people host their cultural night so we can immerse ourselves in their culture.
Reference:
Martin, J. N., & Nakayama, T. K. (2009). Intercultural Communication in Contexts. McGraw-Hill Higher Education
I like that you used a personal example to connect to the topic of diasporic histories. We will continue to discuss this topic in chapter 8, Intercultural Transitions. There are some amazing documentaries out there as well. My personal favorite is God Grew Tired of Us. It's about the transition of 3 of the Sudanese "Lost Boys" and their intergration into American culture. Very moving!
ReplyDeleteFor future blogs, make sure you cite the sources that you reference in the blog. You should definitely have a Martin & Nakayama citation in your first paragraph when you define the concept. Also think about how you can keep adding in photos and videos to expand your points.
I like how you shared your personal account of how it feels to a foreigner in America. Good to hear that you no longer feel like a black sheep. I too have been in your shoes and it makes for a much more enjoyable experience when you don't always feel like an outsider.
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