[Air-L] query: topics that don't get talked about (enough) in academia?

[Seda Guerses]

i wish we talked more about the inclusion of intercultural skills and  
working with people who speak the dominant instutional language as a  
second-language. although most universities today are happy to have  
international students (or scholars) i find that often the  
introduction to the institution gets pushed to international students  
offices and to language courses. in reality, working in an environment  
where people come from diverse backgrounds requires certain skills  
that most of the time international students/scholars have to learn  
themselves. this learning is then usually in the form of assimilation  
to institutional cutlure rather than one of mutual learning and  
expansion. if all colleagues were more aware of what it means to come  
from a different language, communication, academic and cultural  
background, as well as the bureaurcracy and challenges that entails,  
e.g., visas, financial challenges, dietary issues, collaboration  
methods, and learned ways to use those differences to enrich the  
academic environment, we could enjoy the fruits of international  
scholar communities even more than we do today.  (i hear that some of  
these problems are also common to academics of working class  
background, so maybe that would also be something to discuss).
best,
s.




Message: 1
Date: Wed, 10 Nov 2010 15:57:24 -0800
From: Nancy Van House <vanhouse at ischool.berkeley.edu>
To: air-l at listserv.aoir.org
Subject: [Air-L] Re topics that don't get talked about (enough)
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This has been terrific -- lots of responses on and off the list.  Keep  
'em
coming!
Jst want to publicly thank all the people who've taken the time to  
respond.
Some very thoughtful, heart-felt suggestions.


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