Presentation/Assigment

6

Cultural Self-Assessment Module 3

Student Name:

Cultural self-assessment

A Comparison between Uzbekistan and African American Cultures

Racial diversity in most countries in the world is growing at a very fast rate and the United States is no exception. With this increase in diversity, it is projected that in a few decades, the united states will be a majority/minority nation. In such as setting, cross-cultural communication will be very important. Disabilities are one of the important concepts in life that vary across cultures. Different cultural groups view disability differences and it is important to understand these variations. This paper will compare beliefs, values, and practices related to disability in the Uzbekistan and African American cultures and how families in these cultures address disabilities. It will also identify hurdles to addressing disability in both cultures and the most ideal communication tools to reach the families.

Beliefs, values, and practices related to causation, disability, and family

There are various similarities in beliefs about causality, disability, and family between Uzbekistan and African American cultures. Religion is an important aspect of both cultures although unlike African Americans who are mainly Christians, most people in Uzbekistan are Muslim (Yusupov & Abdukhalilov, 2022). Due to the religious influence, both cultures believe that the causality of events is attributed to a supernatural being. There are also similarities in the belief about disability. There is a negative attitude towards disability in both cultures. African Americans associate disability with sin and therefore shun people living with disabilities (Lynch & Hanson, 1992). In Uzbekistan, the situation is the same and the inclusion of persons with disabilities in important sectors such as education is minimal (Yusupov & Abdukhalilov, 2022). There are significant variations in beliefs and values about families. African Americans lean more toward nuclear families with non-traditional families such as single-parent families being common in the African American culture (Lynch & Hanson, 1992). In Uzbekistan, on the other hand, people live in large families consisting of several generations.

Addressing family and disability

Both Uzbeks and African Americans treat disability negatively. There is evidence of the shunning of disabled members of the community by other members of the African American culture (Lynch & Hanson, 1992). In Uzbekistan, the lack of inclusivity of persons with disability is quite evident. There is very little data on disabled people in the national database and disability questions are not included among the national census questions (Yusupov & Abdukhalilov, 2022). This means that disabled people are not included in important decisions in the country.

The negative treatment of disabled people in these cultures can be attributed to the fact that both cultures are still developing and therefore lag in certain important issues. African Americans have been living in the shadow of white Americans and are always behind in terms of education and awareness of critical issues such as disability (Lynch & Hanson, 1992). Similarly, most people in Uzbekistan lack awareness of important issues such as disability even though they are doing well economically (Yusupov & Abdukhalilov, 2022). This problem is therefore systemic in both cultures and needs significant efforts to solve.

Hurdles in addressing disability in both cultures

It is important to appreciate the efforts that both cultures are making in ensuring the inclusion and well-being of people with disabilities. It is evident that they are both struggling to overcome the hurdles of addressing disability. The main hurdle to addressing disability in the African American culture is the scarcity of resources. Poverty is still a problem among African Americans which means that access to quality education is limited (Lynch & Hanson, 1992). Without quality education, there is limited exposure and awareness of how to address disability.

Addressing disability also requires a lot of resources because people with disabilities have different needs from those of people without disabilities. Since poverty is an issue among African Americans, they lack the resources to develop and implement the best treatment plans for people with disability (Lynch & Hanson, 1992). Uzbekistan, on the other hand, is among the countries that are doing well economically. Therefore, a lack of resources cannot be a hurdle to addressing disability. It is possible to argue that lack of awareness is the main hurdle to addressing disability among Uzbeks (Yusupov & Abdukhalilov, 2022).

Communication tools for both communities

Effective communication depends largely on the selection of culturally effective communication tools. It is also important to learn about how different cultures communicate to avoid common communication barriers such as culturally insensitive language. Public education and awareness would be an effective communication tools for both cultures. There is a notable lack of awareness of disability in both cultures and therefore public awareness strategies such as presentations and family education during hospital visits can help communicate the message.

Social media is also a popular platform in both cultures and would therefore be an effective communication tool. When preparing materials for public education, it is important to ensure that the information is factual and credible. The use of factual and credible information is a good way to build trust because, with the availability of information on the internet, people will want to verify any information they get. Having an honest conversation where people can air their views and concerns about disability is key to nurturing a positive attitude toward people living with a disability.

Other interesting factors

It is interesting how many similarities African Americans share with people from Uzbekistan. These similarities can be attributed to the histories of these communities and the struggles that they still deal with as a result of their unpleasant histories. African Americans were a minority in America and therefore struggled to achieve what they have today. Similarly, Uzbeks were and are still a minority in the Soviet Union countries. It is interesting how much people's histories influence their lives. Although these two communities have made significant improvements in various life issues they still lag in the awareness of important issues such as disability. The availability of resources among Uzbeks has not made the situation any better for them. Horrific historical experiences have caused the two communities to lag in accepting realities.

Response to the description of my cultural background

I think the description of the Uzbekistan culture was very accurate. I could relate to most of the things described because they are things I have witnessed growing up. People in my community are lagging in accepting people living with disability as important members of the community. These gaps continue to make the situation even more difficult for these people. Access to basic needs such as education becomes a challenge since people are not willing to use resources for people living with disabilities. I however like how the sources acknowledge the efforts that my community has made in embracing people with disabilities. I would recommend these readings to anyone who wants to gain some insights about my community.

References

Lynch, E. W., & Hanson, M. J. (1992). Developing cross-cultural competence: A guide for working with young children and their families. Paul H. Brookes Publishing.

Yusupov, D., & Abdukhalilov, A. (2022). Barriers to disability‐inclusive employment in Uzbekistan: A pilot qualitative study of disabled people's lived experiences. Journal of International Development, 34(5), 1048-1068. https://doi.org/10.1002/jid.3693