CURB YOUR DOGMA? Advising International Education Students with CONVICTIONS BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
CURB YOUR DOGMA? Advising International Education Students …because they ALL have convictions! BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
Goals for today’s session… 1. Get some important questions on the the table… 2. Ignite thinking and conversation 3. Challenge you to assess where you stand. 4. Encourage you to consider your approach to advising in these areas. 5. Engage in the ongoing Curb Your Dogma conversation, if interested. BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
To begin: International Education That Changes Lives! Who they are What they will experience Who they will become “Cultural Intelligence” BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
IDEALLY?... Completed product: Ideal student: Perfect program: Intercultural Champion TABULA RASA! All the right influences BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
Back to your students – who “are” they? Is it what’s on the application…? • Is it what’s on the inside: • ASSUMPTIONS • PRE-CONCEPTIONS • PREJUDICES • BIASES • DETERMINATIONS • CONCLUSIONS • BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
(parenthetically – the dogma of relativism…) √ American, Secular Higher Education is profoundly secular – many think Tabula Rasa and relativism are virtues √ The world is profoundly religious, “dogmatic” √ As western “leaders” in globalization, we need to get our heads around this, not just ignore it. i.e. Africa – from 10 million to 360 million Christians in the past century i.e. America – Jesus-worship still the biggest cultural activity in our country and culture BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
Gym example… Fitness trainer has a vision for me • as a healthy person He runs a series of tests to see • WHERE I AM NOW THEN he knows how to proceed • with a plan to get me from here to there How do we check our students cultural-intelligence body fat? BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
It is my conviction that … BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
It is my conviction that … 1. Who a student really is has EVERYTHING to do with their international education experience. BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
It is my conviction that … 1. Who a student really is has EVERYTHING to do with their international education experience 2. We have a hard time talking with students about these deeper themes and issues. Why? BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
It is my conviction that … 1. Who a student really is has EVERYTHING to do with their international education experience 2. We have a hard time talking with students about these deeper themes and issues 3. Lack of awareness of a student’s convictions can lead not only to missed opportunities, but possibly to some real dangers! BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
Possible examples… Sending/Receiving: an ISIS sympathizer? a communist? an over-the-top capitalist? a racial bigot? a militant feminist? a proselytizing religious person? a gay rights activist? a practicing hedonist? * BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
Okay … Question 1: What can we talk about with students we advise? • Their religious beliefs? • Their stands on social issues? • Their political bents? • Their levels of racism? • If “no” – why not? If “yes” – how? BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
Okay … Question 2: Even if we knew what to talk about … do any of us • have the bandwidth to provide the kind of pre- counseling that is needed to maximize the international experience? BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
Question(s) 3: Would you encourage your students to put • their convictions on the shelf for a semester? (e.g., “curb your dogma”) Or would do you encourage them to “be • themselves” because that’s part of the intercultural exchange experience? (Is there a double standard here with incoming vs. outgoing students?) BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
Question 4: Should we offer special programming for… Gay students? • Minority students? • Religious students? • Political students? • If “no” – why not? If “yes” – why, and how? BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
Some Conclusions: If we want our students to have an optimal, cultural- • intelligence-building experience, then having some level of understanding of their convictions is essential to crafting that experience. In short, “it IS our business.” It is not politically incorrect to ask students about their • convictions, and speak about how those convictions could create issues in an international context. BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
Some Conclusions: As much as we realize the students have • convictions, we need to embrace our own biases and prejudices, and make sure we don’t “inflict” them on students when we advise them*. * Unless those convictions are part and parcel of your institution’s vision BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
What are some ways we could broach these topics with our students appropriately, and effectively? (take it away, professionals!) BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
Some good ideas to date: Generic advising materials: Reference pieces (pdf, online • “quiz”, articles) that encourages student reflection without singling out their specific situation. Reconsider what we’re doing: Realizing we can’t • microwave student interaction, and choose not to cut corners for numbers. Sensitive Partners: Work with organizations that offer • legitimate counseling vs. enrollment management. BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
Thanks for all you do for your students! Stay in touch – please leave a card, and drop by the Athena booth this week! BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
For discussion… How would you feel in the following instances: Your student converts to a new religion • …make that a dangerous* religious cult Your student joins in public political demonstrations • …where people are getting imprisoned Your student is being evangelized by a host family • …specifically, a militant Muslim host family Your student is involved in gender rights rallies • …in an extremely patriarchal culture/country BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
Hypothetical situation: A U.S. study abroad student goes to Turkey, crosses the border, and joins ISIS. Should we have caught this in any way before it happened? 1. If yes … how? 2. BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
Hypothetical situation: An international student comes to Chicago, joins a terrorist cell, and recruits new members to it. Should we have caught this in any way before it happened? 1. If yes … how? 2. BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
Hypothetical situation: True story: A seemingly normal study abroad applicant is placed with a host family in France. We come to find he’s a skin-head, with Nazi tattoos, listens to Hitler tunes in his room, and brandishes a machete wherever he goes. Should we have caught this in any way before it happened? 1. If yes … how? 2. BILL HARTLEY – ATHENA STUDY ABROAD – BILL.HARTLEY@ATHENAABROAD.COM - 480.388.2635
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