“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly”, says Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in Le Petit Prince. “What is essential is invisible to the eye.`
Maybe you find this quote from Le Petit Prince a little cheesy, but I think it’s essential in intercultural communication, and even in communication in general, if you ask me! There is more to the person we communicate with than their appearance and their habits we might find strange. But how do we do that: looking with the heart? Beyond the outside, that we see with our eyes; beyond the fear, that we feel somewhere in our body?
By being aware of the way you see the world, I suppose, and by listening to the story of the other.
I am a historian (in international relations) through studies and an interculturalist through life! On this blog you will find more about my first attempts to combine these two fields: which role can intercultural communication play in the field of international relations? And how can it help me to deal with the questions mentioned above?
How do you see the world?
Are you aware of your own perceptions? How do you see the other and how can you try to go beyond the surface?
Get the image clear!
Do you know about the views, thoughts and beliefs of the other?
There are many “tools” to get into “real” contact with other people. I had some first experiences in these activities over the last year.
What are the different views on the world politics? How can we understand why other nations or (international) groups act in a certain way? How can we check out if our opinions about them are correct or not? There are some really interesting media (old and new) that show us different perspectives of a story!
Can you get hold of the fear behind the image?
And then what?
This all sounds great: just listen to each other! But what “success-stories” exist of this truly listening?
How does this listening look like in real life, in real conflicts? How does it help to fight fear and pain?
Does a cultural/artistic approach help in the process of opening up to the other? continue reading
