Introduction
“It is a credit to Foua’s general equanimity, as well as her characteristic desire not to think ill of anyone, that although she found Lia’s birth a peculiar experience, she has few criticisms of the way the hospital handled it.” (Fadiman, 1999, Chapter 1)
Discussion
The quote is about Lia’s birth and Foua’s general experience of the provided health care has been selected in order to examine the differences in attitudes and perspectives on cultural variations in diverse communities. Specifically, the quote in question demonstrates the lack of concern in foreign healthcare experts for indigenous women and the challenges that they have during childbirth. Moreover, the cultural specifics of the specified population’ needs are dismissed in the most insensitive way, to which indigenous women remain tragically oblivious due to a combination of the lack of awareness and naive trust. Therefore, the passage above demonstrates the significance of recognizing others’ humanity along with offering relevant health services. While the latter might be more advanced than the ones provided within an indigenous community, the significance of recognizing the value of diverse cultures must not be underrated, either.
“Some of the questions they asked her were: Is it forbidden to use a txiv neeb to heal an illness in the United States? Why do American doctors take so much blood from their patients? After you die, why do American doctors try to open up your head and take out your brains?” (Fadiman, 1999, Chapter 3)
The passage above allows examining the cross-cultural gap that must be overcome for people from diverse communities to receive the required assistance and support from respective healthcare institutions and experts. Furthermore, the excerpt in question signals the necessity to introduce better communication with the target demographic in order to introduce them to essential notions and concepts, thus, building their health literacy. Overall, the passage reinforces the idea that people from diverse and vulnerable communities must be treated as fellow human beings, namely, equally and fairly. However, the passage also indicates the devastating lack of communication opportunities and, possibly, the presence of contempt toward the specified demographic from American healthcare experts. Therefore, Fadiman’s novel, in general, and the specified passage, in particular, accentuates the need for equity and inclusion by recognizing the validity of other cultures’ beliefs and traditions, while also encouraging active communication and introducing diverse communities to essential opportunities, including healthcare.
In order to support vulnerable minority communities, the problem of privilege and the gap that it creates between the dominant culture members and the minority groups must be recognized. In her article, “Understanding Oppression,” Leticia Nieto and Margot Boyer (2007) address the different ways in which cultural oppression may manifest itself. In the first part of the article, the core strategies for overcoming the gap created by misaligned power dynamics are introduced. Specifically, Nieto and Boyer (2007) assert that members of the oppressor class must fully recognize their dominant influence and take it into consideration when shaping the communication process, attempting to minimize it.
In the second part of the article, Nieto and Boyer (2007) provide recommendations and various pieces of advice concerning the implementation of the strategies in question when managing communication with the oppressed minority. Namely, Nieto and Boyer (2007) suggest that the ability to recognize the stereotypes that restrict people’s ability to express themselves and choose the path that they consider the best option for them is a critical skill to be encouraged. Furthermore, as a member of the support system for vulnerable communities, one must recognize that the choice to conform to stereotypes represents a basic survival skill and has nothing to do with the actual volition of an individual. Furthermore, the author clarifies that Re-Centering skills assist one in addressing the presence and rigidity of specific stereotypes in the target population and eradicating them.
Conclusion
Finally, the third part of Nieto and Boyer’s (2007) paper renders the issue of minimizing the impact of the power of privilege. Since those holding additional power based on privilege rarely recognize it, the process of shaping and changing behaviors and attitudes that exude the specified privilege is likely to be quite difficult. Nieto and Boyer (2007) encourage the reader to examine one’s privilege carefully and reset the Rank System built into the very premise of multicultural interactions.
References
Fadiman, A. (1999). The spirit catches you and you fall down. New York: Noonday. [Kindle version].
Nieto, L., & Boyer, M. (2007). Understanding oppression: Strategies in addressing power and privilege. Web.