An Introduction to Intercultural Mediation
By Roxanna Jitariu
AN INTRODUCTION TO INTERCULTURAL MEDIATION
Many immigrants, when living in another country, face difficulties regarding integration and adaptation, due to the discrimination they face in the new country. For this reason, the area of intercultural mediation has been established. The figure of intercultural mediator acts as a bridge between the parties of different cultural roots and creates a social dialogue, consequently strengthening the relationship between cultures and individual persons.[1] Before reading further, I would like to note that this article expresses a European perspective in relation to the establishment of intercultural mediation.
Since the 1980’s the studies of translation have transformed from a linguistic study to cultural research.[2] In fact, translation was seen as a form of intercultural communication.[3] This activity has evolved into intercultural mediation, and is composed by understanding, explaining, commenting, interpreting and negotiating phenomena.[4] The process itself is divided in mediation for oneself and mediation for others.[5] Mediation for oneself requires participation in both cultures and the ability to read and understand culturally contexted language and reflect critically during interpretation.[6] On the other hand, mediation for others means the process involving interpretation of culturally contexted texts for others who do not share the same cultural roots and face hardships when applying them.[7]
Nowadays, the intercultural mediator performs several tasks when exercising their profession: language interpretation, communication, information, guidance, accompanying, assistance, training, research, consulting, planning and conflict management.[8] As mentioned in the introductory paragraph, intercultural mediation comes into play mostly to solve conflicts arising from cultural differences between immigrants and the host country. For example, teachers act as intercultural mediators during the school life of immigrant children.[9] In this case, they have the responsibility to create an inclusive and non-discriminatory environment, where migrant and non-migrant children have the right to self-expression while respecting their correspondent cultural identity.[10] Therefore, a successful intercultural mediator possesses excellent skills and attitudes, and it is a person who studies and familiarises with the cultures of all parties involved, in order to allow the immigrants to express their needs and to facilitate the reaching of an agreement between the parties.[11]
In this concluding paragraph, the article emphasizes on the importance of studying, or at least to possess a basis of knowledge, of intercultural mediation. In fact, it is vital to familiarise ourselves with this topic as legal professionals, because we live in a global society, where many immigrant families face difficulties when adapting to live in another country. Intercultural mediation is a space where all ideological and cultural differences come together in search of a balance by creating an interactive, inclusive, open and self-reflexive dialogue.[12]Consequently, this topic is not only important to the legal field of ADR, but also for inclusivity, one of the most discussed themes in our generation and a topic deserving its own blog post.
[1] Italian Ministry of Work, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Instruction of Research Universities, “Intercultural Mediation” (2015) < http://www.integrazionemigranti.gov.it/en/services/Intercultural-mediation/Pages/default.aspx > accessed on 19 November 2020
[2] Liddicoat, Anthony (2015) Intercultural mediation, intercultural communication and translation. Perspectives, 24 (3), pp. 354-364
[3] Ibid
[4] Ibid
[5] Ibid
[6] Liddicoat, Anthony (2015) Intercultural mediation, intercultural communication and translation. Perspectives, 24 (3), pp. 354-364
[7] Liddicoat, Anthony (2015) Intercultural mediation, intercultural communication and translation. Perspectives, 24 (3), pp. 354-364
[8] Italian Ministry of Work, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Ministry of Instruction of Research Universities, “Intercultural Mediation” (2015) < http://www.integrazionemigranti.gov.it/en/services/Intercultural-mediation/Pages/default.aspx > accessed on 26 November 2020
[9] Eugenia Arvanitis and Spyridoula Giaki, “The Role of an Intercultural Mediator” Get Close to Opera, co-founded by Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union < https://www.getclosetoopera.eu/the-role-of-an-intercultural-mediator/ > accessed on 26 November 2020
[10] Ibid
[11] Ibid
[12] Ibid