I. Comparing different ethical positions

A. Ethics: a set of principles of conduct that governs behavior; a set of standards that uphold the community's expectations concerning "right" and "wrong" conduct

B. Ethical absolutism position

1. Ethical absolutism: universally fixed standards regardless of culture

2. Universality: one set of standards guides behavior on a global level

3. Colonial ethnocentrism: the rights and privileges of dominant groups, who can impose their standards on nondominant groups

4. Con: dominant group defines standards, nondonminants marginalized

C. Ethical relativism position

1. Ethical relativism: understand cultural context in judging conduct

2. Understand and evaluate behavior in accord with traditions, beliefs, and values of the particular culture

3. Ethical and unethical practices understood from cultural insider lens

4. Con: perpetuation of intolerable practices, too much flexibility

D. Ethical universalism position

1. Ethical-universalism: ethical judgments with consideration given to both cultural and universal standards

2. Requires knowledge about distinctive differences among cultures and universal commonalities across all cultures

3. Ideal goal to strive for, but most current usage as "imposed ethics" relies heavily on Eurocentric moral philosophies

E. Meta-ethics contextualism position

1. Layered contextual perspective: application of ethics understood only through peeling away layers of the ethical dilemma: treat each case as unique, and consider many multilayered factors

2. Broader philosophical approach to ethical conceptualization, dilemmas

II. Meta-ethics: procedures and guidelines

A. Meta-ethics: cultivation of ethical way of thinking that transcends any ideology

B. Identifying key meta-ethics concepts

1. Rights: what one is entitled to as a human being or citizen

2. Duties: imply obligations and responsibilities

a. Culture-specific aspect: culture's norms, via role expectations

b. Culture-general aspect: pan-human responsibility to all

3. Traditions and stories call for reflections in viewing the problematic case as part of the larger history in the cultural milieu           

4. Fairness: equitable treatment on personal or community-interest level

5. Justice: impartial treatment of cases by using a consistent standard

6. Consequences: consider ramifications that affect all parties

7. Virtues: the commendable qualities of an individual

8. Ideals: actions not required but taken because it is the right thing to do

9. A meta-ethical decision: dig deeper into own value system to find inconsistencies, resonating points

10. Consider these two questions in meta-ethical decision making:

a. Can you devise creative solutions other than the proposed ones?

b. How can you prevent future similar dilemmas arising in this culture?           

C. Meta-ethical decisions: further guidelines, or questions to ask

1. Who or which group perpetuates this practice and why?

2. Who or which group resists this practice and why? Who is suffering?

3. Does it cause unjustifiable suffering at the pleasure of another group?

4. What is my role and my "voice"?

5. Should I condemn this practice publicly?

6. Should I find a solution that reconciles cultural differences?           

7. Can alternative honor cultural traditions and stop intolerable practices?

8. How can I implement this alternative? Who are allies and enemies?

9. Should I act as a change agent via grass-roots efforts?

10. What systematic cultural changes needed for solution to filter through the system?                       

III. An intercultural discovery path model

A. From ethnocentrism to ethnorelativism

1. Two stages of ethnocentrism

a. Defensive ethnocentrism: rigidly-held mindset and a superior-inferior gap with outgroup members

b. Ambivalent ethnocentrism: confusion about outgroup members, still indifferent, beginning to realize possible blind spots

2. Functional flexibility stage: appropriate verbal, nonverbal styles but may retain your cultural/ethnic values, beliefs

3. Dynamic flexibility stage:

a. Integrate the best layers of your identity

b. Swing comfortably from low-context mode to high-context mode, code-switch from individualistic thinking to collectivistic thinking, hold value sets simultaneously

B. Becoming a dynamic global leader

1. Four global literacies critical for an effective global leader include personal, social, business, and cultural

2. Ethical intercultural communicator characteristics: adaptive, creative, experimental, tries again, other-centered but knowing thyself, intentional mindfulness, making difficult ethical choices, lifelong learning journey

IV. In conclusion:

A. Dynamic flexibility calls forth our adventurous spirit and risk-taking abilities in reaching out to communicate with culturally dissimilar others

B. An intercultural life is a creative life that demands both playfulness and mindfulness in transforming one's intercultural journey into a discovery process

C. May you have the courage to experiment and to explore new terrain!