Africa - insight and inside. Intercultural clashes and reconciliation

   —   Africa is a complex continent with more than 50 nations with different political, economical and social condition as well as individual histories, languages and traditions. Often the cultural diversity is ignored, nevertheless African societies share a common codex of values and behavior patterns different from the Western cultures. It becomes obvious when dealing with hierarchies, the management of time, the indirect communication style and the process of decision making which takes the collective much more into account than the individual.   These differences in cultural dimensions tend to lead to misunderstandings, irritations and counter productivity. The seminar will give an introduction to intercultural competence. Students are invited to reflect their own values and the perception of the „otherness“ of their cultural counterpart. After an input on the African continent we will work with interactive methods (culture shock, refraiming of cultural conflicts, simulations of negations between Africans and Europeans.   Bringing in your personal experience in Africa/with Africans is highly welcome.