Approach one problem in economic, political, technological, scientific, artistic, literary life. Then, in 300 words, explain what it would mean to approach the problem from a lens of cultural humility instead of cultural competence.
Approach one problem in economic, political, technological, scientific, artistic, literary life that can be understood through global, intercultural, and international lenses.
Then, in 300 words, explain what it would mean to approach the problem from a lens of cultural humility instead of cultural competence.
As is true of all posts in this public class space, if for reasons of privacy, you prefer not to use your real name or other identifying information, you may choose to do so. You may also email your instructor about receiving credit without posting in this space.
The problem at hand is the growing trend in academic and research institutions where the emphasis is placed on increasing the quantity of research outputs, often at the expense of quality. With institutions and funding bodies pushing for higher research output, the focus has changed toward publishing as many papers, articles, or projects as possible, rather than the depth, impact, and integrity of the research itself.
ReplyDeleteDifferent cultures prioritize academic achievements in various ways, but the global trend of quantity over quality has been influenced by standardized metrics like publication counts and citation indices. These strict numbers often favor only one way of thinking. Because of this, other valuable ways of learning, like traditional community knowledge or projects that directly help local people, are often ignored. This is unfair to researchers from different backgrounds. It turns academic research into a fast factory line instead of a meaningful process that respects different cultures.
To fix this, society needs to practice cultural humility. This means being open minded, checking their own biases, and listening to others. Instead of using one strict rule for everyone, universities must understand that good knowledge comes from many places. Cultural humility would encourage institutions to be more reflective and responsive to diverse values and approaches, focusing on ethical, long-term impact over the pursuit of volume research.
By prioritizing cultural humility, institutions would be more open to adapting their methods to collaboration, sustainability, and depth in research, no matter the cultural context. In the end, this mindset changes the main goal. Instead of just trying to make a researcher look famous, the focus goes to helping society. Quality should be measured by how well we understand the world, not just by how fast we can publish.
I agree with the position presented in the text. On many occasions, various institutions constantly demand the production of scientific publications and research without considering all the factors necessary to develop accurate and high quality work. As a result, incomplete research is generated that seems designed solely to draw attention to a topic, but which fails to provide conclusive results. In some cases, they even present confusing information that, far from clarifying the issue, generates doubts among the intended audience, rendering the information useless.
DeleteThis problem is frequent within the scientific community. While conducting numerous research projects can demonstrate a broad command of different topics and project institutions as reliable sources of information, publishing work without solid results or clear conclusions can have the opposite effect. Instead of strengthening their credibility, these institutions can become sources of information of dubious value, since gaps in scientific knowledge hinder a true understanding of the phenomena studied.
Therefore, those of us who study and practice science must be aware of this problem, as must the institutions responsible for disseminating knowledge. Scientific work must maintain a professional character, with complete, rigorous, and reliable information. To achieve this, it is essential to have the necessary time and resources to develop research with solid foundations and well-founded conclusions, prioritizing the quality and impact of knowledge over the quantity of publications.
I was excited to read this. It's not typical for students to understand the nuances of the research process like this in the US. So your energy and knowledge are welcome here!
DeleteIf we meet someday, on Zoom or in person, I will try to share my own answer to this, especially in my healthcare-centered research. I try to work with communities to ensure maximum impact.
Agreed. This is such an important yet under considered issue. And the foucus on quanitity leads to not entirely accurate data which most likely affects the underserved
DeleteEthical Evasion: Complying with the Law Does Not Always Solve the Moral Problem
ReplyDeleteMany ethical problems in today's societies persist not because of a lack of laws, but because of a tendency to avoid confronting these rules and their deeper moral implications. This phenomenon, ethical evasion, occurs when individuals and institutions formally comply with the letter of the law but deliberately avoid its spirit. Structural discrimination exemplifies this pattern: even though legal frameworks against racial, class, or social status discrimination exist, societies often implement superficial solutions that perpetuate the problem in less visible ways. Instead of transforming unjust social structures, compliance mechanisms are created that satisfy legal requirements without generating substantive change.
Economic practices illustrate another dimension of this evasion. In many contexts, cash payment discounts are designed to avoid bank fees or tax returns, which are technically legal but ethically questionable. This normalization varies significantly across cultures: what is considered economic pragmatism in one country constitutes implicit tax evasion in another. Informal labor, hidden commissions, and regressive tax structures operate in similar ways; they respect legal frameworks but maintain systemic inequalities.
This is where the crucial difference between cultural competence and cultural humility lies. Cultural competence can lead us to justify these practices by thinking, “I know how things work here” or “that's how it is in this culture.” Cultural humility invites us to constantly question: Who do these normalized practices exclude? What injustices do we perpetuate by accepting them uncritically? This approach recognizes our interpretive limitations and seeks genuine dialogue rather than definitive solutions.
Ethical evasion is rarely illegal; it is often culturally accepted. This is precisely why cultural humility becomes indispensable: it allows us to recognize that formally complying with norms is not the same as solving fundamental moral problems. Cultural humility allows us to recognize that formal compliance may preserve order, but only ethical reflection and cross-cultural dialogue can produce justice.
We went down a fascinating class discussion with this answer! We noted, for example, that if I learned that workers in a factory making cell phones in the United States were earning less than minimum wage, I would be enraged and call for a boycott of the products. But in learning that my cell phone is manufactured in a factory in another country where labor is payed less than a dollar an hour doesn't hit the same way. Differences like that both "respect legal frameworks but maintain systemic inequalities." You made us think very hard!
DeleteLovely statement. Typicall, with respect to access issues, those lacking access are excluded
DeleteThe mutual assured destruction paradox
ReplyDeleteOne enduring political and technological problem that can be understood through global, intercultural, and international lenses is the doctrine of Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD) in nuclear deterrence. Developed during the Cold War, MAD rests on the assumption that rational state actors will avoid nuclear war because any use of nuclear weapons would result in total annihilation for all parties involved. While this logic emerged primarily from U.S. and Soviet strategic thinking, it has been extended to a multipolar world with vastly different historical experiences, political systems, and cultural understandings of security, sacrifice, and power.
Approaching MAD through a lens of cultural competence would involve learning how different nations conceptualize deterrence, honor, and military strength, with the goal of predicting or managing their behavior more effectively. This approach assumes that these cultural perspectives can be sufficiently mapped and understood, allowing policymakers to “apply” deterrence strategies in culturally appropriate ways. However, cultural competence risks reducing complex societies to static profiles and may reinforce the belief that one can fully grasp or control another nation’s decision-making logic.
A lens of cultural humility, by contrast, demands an acknowledgment of uncertainty, power, and the limits of one’s own worldview. Applied to MAD, cultural humility would require nuclear powers to recognize that their assumptions about rationality and restraint are culturally situated rather than universal. It would emphasize sustained dialogue, ethical self-reflection, and an openness to alternative security frameworks proposed by non-nuclear states or historically marginalized voices. Rather than treating deterrence as a purely technical or strategic calculation, cultural humility reframes it as a moral and relational problem shaped by fear, memory, and unequal global power. In conclusion, approaching Mutual Assured Destruction with cultural humility challenges the normalization of annihilation as a stable form of peace and invites more inclusive, reflexive approaches to global security.
Many Indigenous perspectives feature collaboration and sharing cultural knowledge and memories in ways which encourage finding shared ground in which negotitation and joint decision making can happen rather than perpetuating polarities. These ways of knowing and doing should be respected.
DeleteUnemployment in Ecuador
ReplyDeleteUnemployment in Ecuador is an economic and political problem. According to the Word Bank: “Unemployment refers to the share of the labor force that is without work but available for and seeking employment.” The most recent statistics for December 2025 given by INEC (the official government body for national statistics in Ecuador) adequate employment is 37.1%, which means that 63,9% of Ecuadorians able to work are either unemployed or underemployed. In contrast, in the United States only “4.4% of the work force are unemployed” (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025).
Unemployment is both an economic and political problem because when people are not allowed to work, they have to resort to other means to make a living, thus crime rate increases. From an economic point of view, people who don't earn a living cannot spend, which reduces the country's economy. Another problem with unemployment is that as the crime rate increases the country becomes more politically unstable, the end result of this instability is that more resources have to be put into internal security, and the country becomes less attractive for investors both national and foreign.
When dealing with the problems of unemployment and insecurity it has to be understood that the attitude towards these problems may vary from one region to another, even within the country, thus a cold numerical analysis doesn’t show the whole picture. In order to make a deeper analysis of this situation it would need to be done from a cultural point of view not only by cold statistics.
As a final recommendation, it would be better to have data that understands the reasons for unemployment to occur, rather than just the cold percentages which are meaningless when solving these problems. Knowing the source of a problem helps find the solution to it.
Source:
World Bank. (2025). Unemployment, total (% of total labor force) (national estimate) (Indicator code: SL.UEM.TOTL.NE.ZS). World Development Indicators. https://databank.worldbank.org/metadataglossary/world-development-indicators/series/SL.UEM.TOTL.NE.ZS
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026, January 9). Employment situation summary. U.S. Department of Labor. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm
Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos. (2026, 8 de enero). INEC presenta resultados de la Encuesta Nacional de Empleo, Desempleo y Subempleo (ENEMDU): Diciembre 2025. https://www.ecuadorencifras.gob.ec/inec-presenta-resultados-de-la-enemdu-diciembre-2025/
I really like your point about how unemployment in Ecuador cannot be fully understood through statistics alone, since the high levels of underemployment and informality show that many people who are technically “employed” still live in vulnerable conditions. This is especially relevant for young people and women, who are disproportionately affected and face limited access to stable jobs and social protection. In addition to reducing consumption and economic growth, unemployment weakens trust in public institutions and contributes to insecurity and political instability, making long term development more difficult. A cultural and contextual analysis that explores the root causes of unemployment such as education gaps, regional inequalities, and labor market mismatches would provide more meaningful insights for designing effective public policies.
DeleteThis issue ignores legal attempts in Ecuador to include the "disabled" and an act of cultural humility, inclduing Indigenous and the rights to practice them as well as to include them in policy, including employment. There is lip service but not much more. I like the Ecuadorian focus. US students, thoughts?
DeleteMy students will be hopping in soon, but in the meantime, I can't help but think of the very weird ways that rural employment in Minnesota at least tends to hang on one or two large employers in every community.
DeleteIf the mine shuts down, or even slows production, most of the rest of the economy crashes with it. (The only exception is healthcare, which is recession proof, and as Minnesota ages, especially in small towns, it's healthcare that is becoming the most secure employer.
We are ripe for your insights ("In addition to reducing consumption and economic growth, unemployment weakens trust in public institutions and contributes to insecurity and political instability, making long term development more difficult. A cultural and contextual analysis that explores the root causes of unemployment such as education gaps, regional inequalities, and labor market mismatches would provide more meaningful insights for designing effective public policies."), Tiffany.
Addressing access to public health from a perspective of cultural humility represents
ReplyDeletea meaningful shift from the traditional idea of cultural competence. While cultural
competence often focuses on learning about different cultures as a set of skills or
knowledge, cultural humility invites a deeper and more honest approach based on self
reflection, openness, and continuous learning.
Cultural humility recognizes that health professionals and institutions cannot fully
understand the lived experiences of every individual or community. Rather than positioning
themselves as experts who already have the answers, professionals approach communities
with curiosity and respect, understanding that listening is just as important as knowledge.
This mindset requires acknowledging personal biases and recognizing how social,
economic, and historical inequalities shape people’s access to health services.
Unlike cultural competence, which can sometimes lead to generalizations or
assumptions, cultural humility centers the individual experience. It encourages more human
and balanced relationships between healthcare systems and the people they serve. When
patients feel heard and respected, trust begins to grow, allowing them to take a more active
role in decisions about their health and well being.
From a public health perspective, adopting cultural humility can transform the way
policies and programs are created. By genuinely engaging with communities and valuing
their perspectives, institutions can better understand real barriers such as language,
discrimination, fear, or lack of access to information. In this way, public health becomes
not only about delivering services, but about building systems that are compassionate,
inclusive, and fair.
Ultimately, approaching public health through cultural humility means recognizing
health as a shared responsibility and a fundamental human right, rooted in dignity,
empathy, and social justice.
I do agree because this perspective highlights the importance of self-reflection, listening, and respect in public health practice. Cultural humility moves beyond simply learning about cultures and instead recognizes the lived experiences of individuals and communities, as well as the inequalities that shape access to health services. By avoiding assumptions and centering human relationships, it helps build trust and encourages more inclusive, compassionate, and fair public health systems.
DeleteThis ties in with out theme of access and distance. Does anyone have any direct experienc with this?
DeleteTiffany, first, let me applaud the effort you are putting into these questions -- I always believe that the best students make other students better, and you are certainly doing that.
DeleteI learned about "cultural humility" from friends on the nursing faculty -- you have really hit the nail on the head on the origins and most important uses of this model. Thank you!
Topic: Biopiracy and indigenous communities.
ReplyDeleteBiopiracy refers to the appropriation of traditional or ancestral knowledge related to
biological resources and its transformation into private property, often through patent
systems. This practice is particularly common in the pharmaceutical industry, where
companies use indigenous knowledge about medicinal plants and commercialize it without
proper recognition, compensation, or benefit-sharing (Efferth et al., 2016). As a global
phenomenon, biopiracy disproportionately affects indigenous communities in biodiversity
rich regions while benefiting actors from the Global North, raising serious ethical and
scientific concerns.
From a cultural competence perspective, biopiracy is often addressed by acknowledging
cultural differences and recognizing that indigenous communities possess valuable ecological
knowledge. However, this approach tends to treat culture as a body of information that can be
learned and managed, rather than a dynamic relationship. In practice, scientific institutions or
corporations may document traditional knowledge, comply with minimal legal requirements,
and continue their research agendas without sharing power or decision making. As a result,
indigenous knowledge is incorporated into Western scientific and commercial systems, where
it becomes privatized and controlled by external actors.
These dynamics are clearly visible in the Brazilian Amazon, one of the most biodiverse
regions in the world and home to numerous indigenous communities. External companies
often access traditional knowledge to develop pharmaceutical products while excluding local
communities from benefits and control (Danley, 2012). This process not only marginalizes
indigenous groups but also contributes to environmental degradation, as intensive extraction
of biological resources can damage ecosystems and reduce biodiversity (Akurugoda, 2013).
In contrast, approaching biopiracy through cultural humility requires recognizing the limits of
external scientific knowledge and acknowledging historical and structural inequalities.
Cultural humility emphasizes continuous learning, shared authority, and genuine
collaboration with indigenous communities. Rather than extracting knowledge, this approach
promotes co-production of research, informed consent, and equitable benefit-sharing.
Ultimately, cultural humility offers a more ethical and sustainable framework for addressing
biopiracy in a global and intercultural context.
Bibliography:
Akurugoda, C. L. (2013). Biopiracy and its impact on biodiversity: A critical analysis with
special reference to Sri Lanka. International Journal of Business, Economics and
Law, 2(3), 48-51. https://ijbel.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Bio-Piracy-And-Its
Impact-On-Bio-Diversity-%E2%80%93-A-Critical-Analysis-With-Special-Reference
To-Sri-Lanka-C.L.Akurugoda.pdf
Danley, V. (2012). Biopiracy in the Brazilian Amazon: Learning from International and
Comparative Law Successes and Shortcomings to Help Promote Biodiversity
Conservation in Brazil. Florida A & M University Law Review, 7(2), 8.
https://commons.law.famu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1065&context=famulawre
view
Efferth, T., Banerjee, M., Paul, N. W., Abdelfatah, S., Arend, J., Elhassan, G., ... & Titinchi,
S. J. (2016). Biopiracy of natural products and good bioprospecting practice.
Phytomedicine, 23(2), 166-173.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0944711315003797
Indigenous communities alaso experience cultural piracy when their artistic ideas are taken by companies secretly, as it were, and used to make profit for themselves, not the cretaors. It is not that art doesn't come from inspiration from various source, but you must give credit and share the wealth, so to speak. There is imitation/copying and inspiration. Did you know that the Panama hat comes from Ecuador!
DeleteMatheo, I am working on a paper with a colleague in geography on "biopolitics," the ways that governments dominate bodies, and "necropolitics," the ways that government policies dominate and sometimes kill indigenous peoples. May I add "biopiracy" to the list of our intersecting key terms to describe these traumatic powers of the state?
DeleteHi David,
DeleteI would greatly appreciate it if you could share your perspective on how Indigenous communities have been affected by these types of companies. I am particularly interested in how government necropolitics enable and support such corporations, allowing them to profit at the expense of natural resources and, ultimately, the lives and well-being of many Indigenous peoples.
Matheo, I am not sure I have much to share that you don't already know. In the US, Indigenous rights are defined by treaties crafted in the 18th and 19th centuries, and among the provisions was the creation of the Indian Health Service. The IHS generally does an amazing job, by some accounts, but when it fails, it fails spectacularly. For example, tribes had vaccines aplenty for enrolled members, but they were not allowed to vaccinate nonmembers (during Covid). Anyone who understands how herd immunity works knows that this was not effective as a public health strategy.
DeleteOne of the few positive news stories of 2025 I have seen was around the City of Baltimore. Baltimore has become infamous throughout the past decades for drug crime and high homicide rates, expedited by either authentic or disingenuous portrayals in popular culture and the news. Recently Baltimore announced that 2025 was the year with the fewest homicides in 50 years. Many different parties like to claim responsibility, but personally I think there is one main contributing factor. Baltimore's Mayor, Brandon Scott, has started diverting funds into community outreach programs instead of boosting police funding. Following this, there has been a formation of a community led, non -escalation service that goes to the community and deals with the problem directly. Most often then not, these can be solved by talking instead of escalating to violence, and very rarely are law enforcement are called in after.
ReplyDeleteWhat I believe makes this work is the volunteers themselves, often were previously incarcerated and later switched to community service. The respect for these individuals is immense throughout the cities culture. They are also less threatening than law enforcement, who many in the more impoverished areas have had negative previous experiences with , so many start to panic when they show up, escalating things further. I think this is a example of how the cultures of more conservative and authoritarian views on law enforcement can lead to worsening crime, whereas the culture around community outreach is that of mutual respect and a more progressive leaning towards rehabilitation.
While this example is leaning towards cultural competence, I myself have mixed feelings on both Cultural competence and Cultural Humility. I see myself as a naturalist when looking at things, I lean towards the fact that as a species we can get better towards each other and improve the overall well being of each other, if I looked at it nihilistically I don't think I could even be motivated to get up in the morning. However, there will always be an element of primality and carnal desires. People will still be murdered, we will still disagree on many things, and societal problems will still occur, because like any environment, this stimuli helps either us grow or go extinct. In regards to where that is on the Cultural Humility vs Competence scale, I am not sure.
a great and positive example! We need such things! Thanks
DeleteJ.W., let me introduce you, some day, to my friend Lyle Wildes. I think you will enjoy hearing about his research. Very stimulating answer!
DeleteI chose to think about the way writing, technology, and art could play a part. With the rise of AI technology it's changed the artistic realm as a whole. Globally it's altering how people think for themselves. People are relying too much on AI in replace of their own creativity, which leads other to see or read the AI voice, through AI paintings or bits of writing, rather than our own. In a strange way, AI has developed its on particular style and culture. We can often recognize if a paragraph was written by a person or a bot.
ReplyDeleteHow AI could be linked to cultural competence, I'd say some lesser technologically advanced societies are not growing up with the use of it. While others are advancing faster. And that's affecting us all differently. A child growing up in a society that uses high technology is going to think, and act, a certain way than a kid who's never seen a phone before. This also applies to even elderly folks who don't understand their way around an i-phone well. Because they haven't grown up all their lives with it like young people have. Recognizing this can help us be patient with those who didn't have the same technology.
For writing, I believe one must undergo a lot of research if you are attempting to write about a different culture than where you were raised in. This would also play into humility too. Just because you visited a different country, doesn't mean you know exactly what it felt like to grow up there. We can gather information, and write the best we can, but we could never be in the same shoes as the other.
It is a really interesting and modern topic which made think about people who do not grow up surrounded by technology. Before reading about this topic I would think we are all being affected by AI tools in the same way, which is not realistic and it is self-centered. Now I even wonder what comunities that do not use technology the way we do think about the AI tools.
DeleteI love this exchange. We will do more with it in class, Madeline!
DeleteI think this is a great moment for art in general with the arrival of AI, mainly because I like to compare the emergence of AI with what has already happened with photography, Photoshop, or synthesizers. People will find ways to differentiate themselves from AI, creating something more human, even in writing.
DeleteMaría Emilia Coronel 00327340
ReplyDeleteAccess to healthcare affects people everywhere, but it does not feel the same for everyone. For
some people, going to the doctor is normal and accessible, while for others it can feel stressful,
complicated, or completely out of reach. A lot of this has to do with a person’s background,
where they live, how much money they have, the culture they belong to, and the experiences
they carry with them. Even though health is supposed to be a human right, the reality is that not
everyone is treated the same when it comes to receiving care.
There are many reasons why this happens. Poverty, living far from healthcare centers, migrating
to a new place, not speaking the language, or having different beliefs can make the healthcare
system feel distant or hard to navigate. These barriers often affect whether people seek help at all
and how they are treated when they do. In many cases, the problem is not that people do not care
about their health, but that the system does not make it easy for them to feel understood,
welcomed, or supported.
When we look at access to healthcare from a global and intercultural perspective, it becomes
clear that healthcare systems don't work the same for everyone. Populations such as Indigenous
communities or migrants often face discrimination, a lack of clear information, or services that
neither respect nor understand their culture. This shows that the problem of access to healthcare
is not only medical, but also profoundly social and cultural.It is necessary to practice cultural humility. Instead of assuming what a culture needs, it's about
dialogue, building trust, and fostering more humane relationships. Only in this way can we create
healthcare systems that are fairer, more accessible, and more sensitive to the diversity of the
people who need them.
Good points. If you are not from a Western cultural healthcare from the latter perspective is frightening and confusing. That is in fact the case for many people in the West too who have no access the kind of medicine practiced typicallt in public healthcare (not that it doesn't save lives obviously and we many of us would be dead without it).
DeleteI love the way these issues/problems are shring some commen characteristics!
I am thrilled to think about this, especially as my current research project is trying to assess whether doulas can fill in the gaps left by missing or lost ob/gyn or nurse practitioners in rural areas. Your list here ("Poverty, living far from healthcare centers, migrating
Deleteto a new place, not speaking the language, or having different beliefs can make the healthcare system feel distant or hard to navigate") is very relevant for us, too.
Thank you for mentioning access to healthcare, I think it is a very important issue that sometimes it's not taken into account. Resources in different countries can also contribute to the problem since there might be hospitals in certain areas, but they don't have enough resources to treat different types of illnesses. I also feel like this is kind of unfair since health care should be provided to everyone as a human right and there people fighting different types of illnesses shouldn't be worried aside from that, about economic resources, resources at the hospital or in general finding a way to get treated.
DeleteWoot!
DeleteJust like all world issues, it’s important to approach the problem of ocean acidification through a lens of cultural humility instead of cultural competence. Often, with a widespread issue such as this, it’s easy to get caught up in the straightforward ideas and solutions and narrow the focus. However, it is vital to progress that all perspectives are taken into account. It’s vital to widen our gaze towards what else could be helpful. Ocean acidification impacts the globe unevenly depending on location, which makes a shift in narrative and language required to fully understand the cultural, global, and international impacts.
ReplyDeleteThe ocean is used by all in a different way. Some benefit from its vast supply of resources, while others rely on it for their economic function. Others hold a deep cultural identity in the ocean, founding traditions and finding identity in the waters. Cultural competence may result in ranking of perspectives, valuing one over the other. For example, focusing solely on the economic value of the oceans and forgetting completely about the cultural importance of the oceans. Cultural humility respects and values each perspective equally, recognizing that everyone holds a different value on the world’s oceans.
To expand further, valuing all aspects of the ocean in a cultural context applies to the way decisions are made. Collaboration is key. Stepping outside a Western scientific solution and incorporating ideas from other cultures strengthens not only relationships between nations, but strengthens the approach to the issue of ocean acidification. It allows others perspectives to be a part of the solution, not as an afterthought. This shows the mindset of cultural humility, allowing lifelong learning and an open mind to impact the way we approach issues across the globe. Being vulnerable and accepting that we do not know all the answers creates the space needed worldwide to create solutions that may positively impact our oceans.
I did not even know this was a problem, and I will add it to the reasons I have started taking anxiety medications. Thank you, kind of.
DeleteMe either.
DeleteIt is important to approach the issue of AI development in arts and media with an attitude of cultural humility rather than cultural competence. Artificial intelligence is a very new idea in our history of technological developments, and there are still a legion of unknowns. Because of this, I think there are a couple pitfalls when assessing this subject.
ReplyDeleteOn one hand, it terrifies me how quickly large corporations are latching onto AI tools and processors without thought of how it may affect artists and writers in the long run. I recently had to delete my Adobe student account because the price increased from $20/month for access to all Adobe products to $40/month. The cost doubled in order to fund new AI tools that were built off stealing artists’ work online. In this sense, it is larger companies who believe they are ‘culturally competent’ – blindly barrelling forward and refusing to acknowledge how they are harming creators.
On the other hand, it is important to recognize the areas in which AI has been extremely useful. For example, Jing Li – associate professor in the Department of Geography and the Environment at the University of Denver – recently developed a program that precisely tracks real-time changes in air quality in the Denver metro area using a machine learning model. Accurate air quality predictions are essential in preserving the health of the community – particularily youth, the elderly, and individuals with respitory conditions (Mokrzycki). Additionally, AI is becoming increasingly beneficial in screening for different kinds of cancer. A 2023 study used an AI model to process disease codes and patient data to predict which patients may be at a hightened risk for pancreas cancer. The study found that the model was “at least as accurate in predicting disease occurrence as are current genetic sequencing tests that are usually available only for a small subset of patients in data sets” (CRI Staff).
With these things in mind, it is important to view this issue through a lens of cultural humility. To me, this means acknowledging and taking risks seriously while also supporting AI usage in areas that undoubtedly benefit humanity. It also means recognizing that this is a very new issue – we don’t know what we don’t know, and there is a lot left to learn. We must remain open to new opportunities that AI presents while thinking critically about how it can be used ethically.
I love the way all of your posts make me think about every side of an issue.
DeleteI was struggling with this, myself, because a friend was telling me about the use of AI to preserve indigenous languages when fewer and fewer speakers remain to speak it.
All sides, complex.
Agreed. Grammer and spellcheck were going to ruin the world, but really gave us more time to focus on having something to day.
DeleteGlobal access to technology is a permanent problem that includes an economic and political problem that must be understood and must be taken seriously. Around the world, access to technology such as internet, computers and cellphones is very difficult in some places, while some countries benefit from advances digital literacy, but at the same time in many countries, in rural communities face limited connectivity and lack of technology, this inequality includes bad effects on education, healthcare and employment opportunities, also a bad communication between nations, that includes social and economic problems.
ReplyDeleteTo complement the global access to technology through cultural humility offers a more ethical and sustainable framework, cultural humility contributes to continuous reflection, the recognition of power imbalances, and the willingness to learn from all communities. Also, instead of assuming that technology automatically leads to progress, this makes a lot of doubts about who benefits most the technological expansion around the world.
From a culturally humble perspective, improving access to technology requires collaboration and co-creation with local communities. It values local knowledge, languages, and practices, and adapts solutions to specific social and cultural contexts. It also involves acknowledging mistakes, listening to feedback, and adjusting approaches over time. Globally, cultural humility promotes more equitable technological development by fostering respect, mutual learning, and long-term partnerships instead of universal solutions driven solely by external expertise. Approaching global access to technology through cultural humility promotes equitable, sustainable solutions by valuing local knowledge, addressing power imbalances, and encouraging collaboration, rather than imposing universal technological models, cultural humility fosters mutual learning and long-term partnerships that respect cultural differences, this approach helps ensure that technological development truly benefits diverse communities worldwide.
I like the way you think, and you remind me of the comment I made just above, about Indigenous language preservation. That is working as locally as one can with technology to support a community.
DeleteWealth distribution, along with any issue, is important to be approached through the lens of cultural humility as opposed to cultural competence. I'm now realizing that I have never really had the opportunity to talk about this issue when thinking of it outside of the context of the United States, so I sincerely apologize if I say anything that seems irrational or out of touch.
ReplyDeleteAs an American I immediately think of things like fairness and freedom when assessing this topic from an individual/intercultural level. I see a broken system that I'm inclined to fix. Although, I know that a ton of people don't think of things like this at all, and I'm extremely interested in the opinions that other cultures have on wealth distribution. Additionally, I should also consider that while wealth distribution hurts many people, there are obviously some that it drastically benefits. Before resenting those individuals for what they have, I should probably be more interested in if they have a similar perspective on wealth distribution as everyone else. And if not, I would wonder how that perspective differs.
Internationally, a big thing that has been particularly apparent to me recently is the idea of purchasing politics. For example, if your company spends $50 million to fund a political campaign, that politician is now very much obligated to propose and vote on policies that benefit that company. I view this as problematic because I don't think your wealth is indicative of how influential you should be in a political atmosphere. Additionally, I think having companies with large political influence is terrible for most citizens because the purpose of a corporation is much more centered around profit rather than people's needs. A good example of this in the United States has been large coal companies lobbying for years to spread misinformation about climate change in an effort to keep their companies on the map. Obviously coal is a very important global resource for power, but I feel like the need to spend billions of dollars to keep a process afloat when there is the active ability for change is problematic for everyone.
On a global scale, I mainly think of inequality and equal opportunity when it comes to wealth distribution. In my opinion, everyone should have a chance to live a life that they view as good, enjoyable, and worthwhile. Although, when the richer classes of people continue to disproportionately gain more and more of the global wealth, it makes it a lot harder for everyone else to live the lives that they want to live. In the end, I think wealth distribution is something that affects all of us, and I would hope that it becomes something that is equally concerning for everyone, regardless of their economic class.
It is a loose loose situation for the disempowered.
DeleteThank you for modeling the gentle approach you did here. I am too often aware of the ways I benefit from global income inequality -- friends of mine who retire to Belize because their savings will go further there are benefitting from global income inequality, yeah?
DeleteOne problem that matters to me is pollution and climate change. It is important to me because I think the way solutions are going about are not productive. I believe that the general public is being told that the change comes through them, and in a way, it does. However, at the same time, factories are being built and forests are being cut down by big companies. I think that it is important to go about solving this problem in a different.
ReplyDeleteThis is a big international mindedness lens discussion. It is important on a personal level to understand that we should keep the world safe and clean for humanitarian reasons. I think the number one question we should ask ourselves is "do I want to live in a world that is dirty and I cannot see the sky?" It also affects more than just the country with the problem. It can spread which is why it is important to discuss cross culturally how to prevent the problem and what steps we can take to restoration. I also think it is important to consider this problem as necessary to fix. We should actually take steps in improving public transportation and keep rural areas rural.
In approaching this topic with cultural humility, we should try and look at solutions with the mentality that you want it to be fixed. Going in believing climate change is not real and that all the other problems are bigger is not going to solve anything. Also, understanding that some places do have quickly growing populations that need more housing for its citizens. Looking from this point of view will help in trying to find a way to find housing while still keeping pollution under control. Overall, dealing with pollution and climate change takes all people.
I love this. I love that you are aware that arguments can't be universal or global, even if the problem is.
DeleteOne of Ecuador’s biggest problems is access to education, which can be best
ReplyDeleteunderstood through an economic perspective. The economy has a huge role in whether people
are able to attend and remain in school or not. Families with low economic resources often
struggle to pay not only tuition, but also transportation, school supplies, books, uniforms,
technological devices, and internet access. These economic factors frequently lead families to
make the difficult decision not to enroll their children in school or to withdraw them at an
early age so they can work instead.
Besides, indigenous and rural communities are affected by economic inequality, as
many families depend on agricultural labor to survive. Adding to this, communities around
the country are also in areas where they can’t access schools and because of the economy,
they can’t move completely to urban areas. In these contexts, children’s education is often not
seen as a priority for many families, not because they don’t value education, but because
economic necessity doesn’t allow them to.
Understanding this problem through cultural humility, instead of cultural
competence, means recognizing that families’ decisions are shaped by economic conditions
rather than lack of responsibility. Through a cultural humility perspective, we can say that
means reflecting and learning on the country’s reality and what factors contribute to the
problem. It also means understanding their limitations and that many schools in Ecuador do
not help and understand completely the economic reality of many families, therefore there
should always be more research and reflection on different backgrounds.
Cultural humility also involves recognizing and reflecting on international economic
inequalities. Compared to countries such as the United States or many European ones,
Ecuador has fewer economic resources to sustain a fully accessible public education system
to every person in need. While public education exists, it is not enough for the large
percentage of the population living in poverty. Recognizing these differences can help
prevent comparisons and judgments.
I have lived in Ecuador my entire life and by having the opportunity to travel to other
countries, I have observed the misinformation about the topic. Based on cultural humility, we
should approach the meaning of access to education relating it to the country’s economy in
order to have a more accurate and ethical understanding of the challenges and reflect it,
reducing generalizations and discrimination.
Many schools in Ecuador Have no voice and, therefore, no resources, especially those in rural and distant areas, for example, the Amazon and Galapagos. It might seems like the Galapagos Islands, sooo renown would have good quality schools but the people are poor and so are the schools. Generally, too, the education in education is not so good. this does not mean that teachers are committed!
DeleteAs you will see later in this blog, education is the major force in my life -- it propelled me forward, it broke many things about my relationship with my family. Thank you for pushing this forward.
DeleteAccess to mental health care is a problem that looks very different around the world. In some places, therapy and mental health conversations are common while in others they are avoided, misunderstood or even stigmatized. When this problem is approached through cultural humility, it means accepting that no one fully understands another person´s culture or life experience, no matter how much training or education they have.
ReplyDeleteApproaching mental health with cultural humility starts with listening. Instead of assuming that a certain diagnosis, treatment or therapy style will work for everyone, a culturally humble approach asks people how they understand their own struggles. This allows space for emotions to be shown in different ways and for healing from a traumatic experience or even a disorder to look different depending on cultural, family or spiritual beliefs. Rather than correcting or dismissing these differences, cultural humility teaches us to treat them as meaningful and valid.
This approach also requires constant self-reflection because cultural humility means being aware of personal biases and recognizing how power can show up in professional or global settings. For example, mental health professionals trained in western psychology may unintentionally believe that their methods are the right ones to use. Cultural humility challenges this idea and encourages flexibility, learning ang change based on real interactions with people.
The 5 R´s of cultural humility help guide this mindset. Starting with reflection which reminds us to question our assumptions. Respect and regard encourage valuing people’s identities and experiences without any judgment. Relevance pushes us to adjust our actions, so they make sense in someone´s real life. And finally, resiliency reminds us to stay open and patient, even when cultural differences feel uncomfortable or challenging
Overall, approaching mental health through cultural humility means choosing curiosity over certainty, it is more about learning than knowing and adapt and grow alongside our peers, and even learn from each other.
I could not agree with you more.
DeleteWhat an eloquent answer, about a topic near to my heart. Thank you!
DeleteThe decrease in literacy rates in the United States is something that continues to worry me, especially with the rise in use of AI to do the important work (to me, this means the writing and processing) for you. While everything I looked at to find statistics focused on children, adults' literacy rates and comprehension skills have also seen a marked decrease, which is terrifying on a number of levels. What worries me most is how this relates to information interpretation, especially in the news. Because so many US news outlets are so politicized, it is difficult to get a well-rounded view of events from an unbiased perspective.
ReplyDeleteTo bring this back to literacy rates, I feel because our news is so skewed, we as people of the United States are getting information that is not correct. From a cultural competency lens, it would seem easy to say that our literacy rates are fine when compared to those in regions of South Asia and West and Central Africa (which, according to UNICEF, account for nearly 87% of global illiterate youth). This, however, is not the full point. When only focusing on the statistics, the cultural implications are completely ignored, and the issues surrounding literacy rates are diminished.
Looking at literacy rates from the lens of cultural humility allows us as somewhat uninformed Americans to look at the issue of literacy rates both in the context of US culture as well as other cultures. It is also not our job to compare ourselves to other countries, but to uplift them as we try to uplift ourselves. To me, it feels like looking at this issue from the lens of cultural humility allows us to not only self-reflect on what we can do to tackle this issue in our country, but also creates more space to understand what is going on in the world around us, focusing on the goal of equal opportunities rather than competition for percentiles.
Scary for sure, especially since literacy is not just about being about to "read and write"
DeleteI used to look up data on literacy in the CIA World Fact Book.
DeleteBut my government cut the budget for that resource. https://www.cia.gov/stories/story/spotlighting-the-world-factbook-as-we-bid-a-fond-farewell/
My topic will be media addiction, since it is a subject I've dedicated a lot of scholarship to in my time at UMD, and I think it is the kind of issue that permeates countless other problems. The absolute integration of technology into our lives through smartphones, on-demand streaming, audiobooks, social media, etc., has created a completely new way in which the human brain has sort of rewired itself to always be consuming. Whether it is a TV show, scrolling social media, listening to music, or reading, we have created a system in which, during almost all of our free time throughout our already limited hours of the day, we find the act of creation and activity of our brains too laborious and instead opt to be inactive and consume rather than create. (Which I am constantly guilty of as a media addict myself.) What this causes in the individual is shortened attention-spans, a warped sense of reality, weakened relationships, and a lessened ability for creativity. Especially now in the age of AI, where even creation itself can be fast and automated, creativity is something of a dying trade.
ReplyDeleteGlobally, media addiction affects the entire world when entire nations of people across cultures, borders, and geographies have a lessened appetite for creativity and independent thought, and instead are inclined toward passive consumption, which can make them less involved citizens and less concerned with global issues and international affairs. However, while overconsumption of media can distract people from realities, it can also make them more aware of them. Social media can provide a platform for people to highlight global issues to others and allow them to share a country's struggles, independent of the coverage of a news organization.
This can also be interpreted through the international lens, where people's shared humanity can be shared among one another through the overuse of media. Being in a certain circle or bubble on social media can create certain views and stereotypes of people from other nations based upon a few videos, songs, TV representations etc. This can humanize them and make one realize their similarities and empathize with them, or it can create harmful views of these groups as "others" and isolate this person from international affairs. It's all luck of the draw in terms of what kind of content this person is offered and how they react to it.
Interculturally, media addiction can stunt a person's skills necessary for intercultural communication, since it can create biases, stereotypes, and assumptions that can be fostered through sustained consumption of certain types of media with specific rhetorics. This can affect a person's ability to communicate since it will be informed by these ideas and not so much by their own active thoughts.
To approach this problem through cultural humility instead of competence, I will assume the role of a media addict. As someone who needs passive consumption to get through the day, a humble approach to my addiction would be to attempt to learn how the addiction affects me and my ability for cognition, as well as attempting to remind myself that the content I am consuming is not representative of how the world and the people in it truly function, but it is rather like I am looking through a keyhole to see what is on the other side of a door. To be culturally humble, I need to acknowledge and try to understand that the keyhole doesn't let me see the full picture, and that I should instead attempt to find a way to get through the door to the room beyond it. In cultural competence, I would assume that I can see everything I need to see through the keyhole and not attempt to get any further.
I like this. I really do.
DeleteA problem I thought of is cultural appropriation in global artistic production. Approaching cultural appropriation through cultural humility rather than cultural competence fundamentally changes how artists, institutions, and audiences respond to the issue. Cultural competence often suggests that one can learn enough about another culture to use its symbols, styles, or traditions appropriately. While well intentioned, this approach risks oversimplifying cultures into fixed bodies of knowledge and can reinforce power imbalances, especially in a global art world shaped by colonial histories and unequal access to platforms.
ReplyDeleteCultural humility, by contrast, emphasizes lifelong learning, self reflection, and accountability. Instead of asking, “Do I understand this culture well enough to represent it?” cultural humility asks, “What power do I hold, what do I not know, and who should be leading this artistic expression?” Artists working globally would prioritize listening to cultural insiders, building long term relationships, and accepting correction without defensiveness. Institutions would move beyond checklists toward shared decision making, crediting, and material benefit for communities whose art forms inspire global work.
From an intercultural perspective, cultural humility recognizes that meanings in art are fluid, contextual, and lived, not easily transferable across borders. Internationally, it acknowledges that histories of exploitation shape whose art is celebrated and whose is commodified. Globally, it accepts uncertainty and resists the urge to claim mastery over cultures not one’s own.
Ultimately, approaching artistic appropriation with cultural humility reframes art as a space for ethical relationship building rather than cultural consumption. It values respect over expertise, dialogue over authority, and responsibility over creative entitlement, allowing global artistic exchange to become more equitable, reflective, and genuinely collaborative.
My goodness this is great. I love this answer.
DeleteYou can also tell I am getting tired because my answers are getting shorter.
Problem: Imposition of technology over the knowledge and traditions of the people.
ReplyDeleteTechnology has always been sold as the solution, as the future, as the only way to move forward, however, people have lived for a very long time and even now without many of the technologies that are sold as the solution to everything.
The way technology is sold has made people see even their own cultures as something inferior.
So, I think that a large part of these technologies follow the idea of “cultural competence” since the idea they sell is leaving everything old behind, without being able to recognize the value and wisdom that many cultures possess.
I like to relate the idea of cultural humility with solar punk. Solar punk is a vision practically opposite to all those apocaliptic futures like cyberpunk, since solar punk embraces the idea of an ethical and cultural future, where technology grows from the communities according to their needs, without forgetting traditions or family.
So I like the idea of a hopeful future where technology is advanced, exists, but is not the center of absolutely everything, where basically technology has not displaced what it means to be human.
OMG. I love Steampunk and Dieslepunk. I am excited to learn more about Solarpunk.
DeleteThe U.S. War on Drugs began over 40 years ago under President Richard Nixon. It represents a strategic loop where the government repeats the same failing supply-reduction tactics while expecting different results. Despite spending billions, the U.S. remains one of the world's top consumers of illegal drugs, such as cocaine, effectively financing the very cartels it claims to fight. This policy creates an ethical paradox, where an entity dictates that substances like caffeine are socially acceptable while cocaine is "bad," despite a history where many drugs were legal and widely utilized. To some degree, no one should be able to tell you what you can or can´t consume.
ReplyDeleteIn Latin America, the 40-year war on drugs has had devastating consequences. For example: Ecuador, formerly known as a quiet, peaceful country, has been transformed into the primary export platform for cocaine destined for U.S. markets. Multinational syndicates like the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels have fueled a violent turf war in Ecuadorian streets, ports and prisons, rapidly turning my nation into the region's most violent country. Hence, dismantling this war would allow countries like Ecuador and Colombia to replace violent illegal markets with licit economic opportunities. Transitioning to a legal framework could stabilize state institutions that are currently weighed out by systemic corruption and the influences of cartels.
To address this, the U.S. must switch from cultural competence to cultural humility. While competence focuses on getting a "fixed bar of proficiency" to interact with others, cultural humility is a lifelong process of self-reflection. It would require the U.S. to critique its own cultural assumptions and prohibitionist biases. Approaching the crisis through cultural humility, would mean that the U.S. must examine its own role as a top consumer and admit that its own policies are the primary drivers of regional violence, despair, and bloodshed.
This is true, and it pains me to see it written out this way, because I do not feel like my nation is capable of what you ask. :(
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