Bookmark Collection

Bright, David S., et al. Principles of Management. OpenStax, Rice University, 2019. “Principles of Management” is an interdisciplinary study on the broad management process. Created for undergraduate business and management students, this text explains a wide variety of concepts such as human behavior, cultural nuances, and other social aspects of management alongside the organizational and corporate processes that come in to play in the workplace. The specific section that pertains to cultural literacy touches on the topics of cultural stereotyping in a managerial environment. Cultural nuances and implications can cause conflicts, and taking time to understand different social institutions can provide for a more effective and respectful business relationship.

Spielman, Rose M., et al. Psychology 2e. OpenStax, Rice University, 2020. “Psychology 2e” is a psychology textbook created for undergraduate courses in the discipline. This text covers analytical and intersectional identities of psychology, and the cultural diversity required for adequate and accurate treatment of psychological disorders according to the DSM-5. The referenced section titled “11.8 Cultural Understandings of Personality” creates psychological profiles on adults in the continental United States, highlighting the differences between individualist and collectivist cultures, and its effects on social migration.

Hasty, Jennifer, et al. “14.3 Food and Cultural Identity.” Introduction to Anthropology. Openstax, 2022. “Introduction to Anthropology” is a textbook on social anthropology and research in the subject as it pertains to socioeconomic and cultural diversity. It touches on the topics of social inequality and cultural identity in a historical and contemporary context. The referenced section titled “14.3 Food and Cultural Identity” focuses on food as a cultural identity, touching on its significance both historically and contemporarily. Significance of certain foods cultivates a distinct relationship between culture and food, making it a representation of its historical, religious, and cultural values. Understanding these cultural differences can help us gain an insight on the sense of community and identity that surrounds a specific culture’s diet.

Scrimshaw, Susan C. “Science, health, and cultural literacy in a rapidly changing communications landscape.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 116, no. 16, 2019, pp. 7650–7655, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1807218116. This academic journal article explains the importance of cultural literacy as it pertains to health and science communication. Audience is most likely middle to upper level undergraduate students. As this author aims to reconcile the disparities in science/health communication across different cultures, they provide data tables and descriptive information regarding the topic and where it originates. It references previous studies that were proven to be inaccurate, in an attempt to take a more complex approach to the topic. The text brings to light the professional language used in medical spaces, and the uncertainty that a majority of patients from different socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds can have as a result. The author offers an empathetic approach to the issue, using compassion as a main tool in communication for mutual understanding to be possible. Multiple detailed examples of conversations and situations are listed, providing a glimpse at how exactly our method of speaking ought to change. By quoting government studies and providing personal approaches to the issue, the author accurately describes the consequences of miscommunication, and the importance of understanding linguistic parameters in conversations. The article provides extensive references to research on the topic, and an in-depth analysis of that data and possible solutions for the future.

Hasty, Jennifer, et al. “11.4 Marriage and Families across Cultures.” Introduction to Anthropology, OpenStax, Rice University, Houston, Texas, 2022. This article takes a look at different definitions of social phenomena across cultures, in specific, the definition of marriage. The author(s) give different definitions of marriage and different marriage practices in a variety of cultures, while recognizing that there are similarities across the field. Images of different families and family dynamics provide a detailed glimpse on what different forms of marriage can look like. The article does not just explain the definition of marriage, but provides resources on its historical and religious significance, as well as studies on global practices that pertain to this unification. It offers a description of different processes and rituals that coincide with marriage, and does so in a neutral and educative tone. The author provides advantages and disadvantages to each situation, without implying that any is inherently wrong. This provides the reader with a significantly objective view on the topic, allowing them to compare different cultures, as well as take note on what then can relate to, and what they are unfamiliar with.

Stubbe, Dorothy E. “Practicing Cultural Competence and Cultural Humility in the Care of Diverse Patients.” Focus (American Psychiatric Publishing), U.S. National Library of Medicine, Jan. 2020, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7011228/. Published in a medical journal, this article aims to highlight the importance of cultural competency and effective communication in medical spaces. The language is at an undergraduate level, and despite the author being a medical doctor, the concepts are explained using relatively understandable language. They list potential biases that doctors can have towards their patients, and the dangers that it can evoke in their health. There is a distinction made between cultural competence and cultural humility, in that both are two sides of the same coin; both are important factors when approaching medicine from a compassionate and self-aware mindset. The article explains abstract topics in depth, accurately providing readers with knowledge that can be applied to other professions. Many studies are referenced, one in particular being a report by the Institute of Medicine on racial and ethnic disparities, that provided a clear initial baseline on the issues that the article hopes to reconcile. Although no personal examples of cultural competency/humility are given, the author provides us with a list of constructive topics practices to use in conversations, such that it does not deny anyone’s cultural or social identity.