You May Think Globally But you Re-enter Locally!: You May Think Globally But you Re-enter Locally! SIETAR-USA Conference
Albuquerque, New Mexico
November 1-4, 2006
Session Presenter: Session Presenter
Bruce La Brack, Ph.D.
School of International Studies
University of the Pacific
Stockton, California
Session Focus: Session Focus Why the Social Context of Reentry Matters and How it is Changing Worldwide!
Session Overview: Session Overview
Themes
Reentry Definitions
Traditional Characteristics
Reentry Historically & Pre-Modern Patterns
20th Century Patterns
Impact of Globalization
Existing Models
Emerging Behaviors & Models
Diverse Impacts & Communities
Contemporary Issues & Challenges
New Directions and Complications
Reentry: Reentry “Upon reentering their native culture without adequate preparation, people are likely to discover, much to their surprise, that they cannot simply pick up where they left off… Friends remember them more or less as they were when they left. In all likelihood, they are expected to be very much the same.”
Source: Freedman, p. 22 in Clyde Austin, Cross-Cultural Reentry, 1986
Slide6: “The illusion that it is easy to return home after an expanded overseas living and working experience is shared both by expatriate employees and their employers. This common misconception can lead to a variety of problems, from individual concerns such as disappointment, boredom, depression and anger to company issues…concerns such as low employee productivity, and effective use of skills and knowledge gained from the overseas experience, and a loss in revenue due to high turnover rates in returned expatriate employees.”
Source: J. Greenberg, 1997
“Home…: “Home… …where they are no longer foreigners…, where they don’t have to think before they speak or act, and where they needn’t ever worry again about having to adjust.
Home: where it’s easy.”
Source: Storti, 1990, p. 99
Types of Returnees (in very rough order of the amount of literature available on their Reentry experiences, problems, issues, and outcomes) : Types of Returnees (in very rough order of the amount of literature available on their Reentry experiences, problems, issues, and outcomes) US-American Study Abroad Students
International Exchange/Foreign Students
Missionaries (aka MK’s or Missionary Kids)
International Business (including expat families)
Military (aka Military Brats)
TCK/Global Nomad
International Development/Aid
Diplomatic Corps
Peace Corps
Types of Returnees, cont.: Types of Returnees, cont. 10. Refugee/Political Exiles
11. International Education (teaching & administration)
12. International Health Staff (doctors, nurses, AIDS clinicians, disaster relief workers, NGO agency medical personnel, etc.)
13. Journalists/Media
14. Hospitality Industry (e.g., Hotels, Resorts, Cruise Ships, Country Clubs)
15. Professional Athletes (e.g., American baseball players in Japan, American basketball players in Italy, Olympic athletes and coaches)
Developed by Bruce La Brack, School of International Studies,
University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA
General Categories of Definitions of Reentry: General Categories of Definitions of Reentry Behavioral – ‘generic’
(i.e., the act of reentering again)
Aerospace — return from space
Cardiology — blood circulation
Real Estate — retaking possession of land
Card Game — Whist
Prison Release — parole
Adult Education — non-traditional student
Sojourner/Study Abroad — various
Petroleum Exploration — drilling
Reentry: Reentry reentry \re-'en-tre-\ n.
a retaking possession; esp. entry by a lessor on
leased premises on the tenant's failure to perform
the conditions of the lease
2. a second or new entry
3. a playing card that will enable a player to
regain the lead
4. the action of reentering the earth's atmosphere
after travel in space
Source: Webster’s Dictionary. Infopedia CD-Rom Version, 1996
Suggested Addition: Suggested Addition Reentry…
the process or act of returning to one's native (passport) country after living or working internationally.
Why reentry “home” is potentially difficult: Why reentry “home” is potentially difficult Unanticipated change – “home” is a given
Unadjusted expectations or false expectations
Heightened critical sense
Comparative framework (new perspectives)
Unprocessed experience
Little opportunity for application or sharing of non-technical knowledge
Getting socially up-to-speed may be frustrating
Reverse “home sickness”
Degrees of Cultural Reactions: Degrees of Cultural Reactions Culture Surprise (Tourist)
“Notice Things,” fantasy-like, exotic, concentration on “difference,” quaint, “honeymoon” phase
Culture Stress (Traveler)
Mild response to “stimulus overload,” tired, withdrawn, annoyance builds, “daily reality” phase
Culture Fatigue (Work/Study)
Greater impact due to “need to operate” in difficult context, symptoms intensify, functionality declines
Cultural Reactions, cont.: Cultural Reactions, cont.
Culture Shock
Onset timing variable; results in serious reaction to continuing tension; anxiety; disconfirmation of behavior; possible severe physical/mental manifestations (e.g., anger, displaced aggression, “freeze”)
Item Irritation Irritation
Traceable to a single item/value; focus on an overt, observable behavior that is common and recurrent and not likely to go away; a real “hot button” (e.g., public spitting, mistreatment of animals)
Cultural Reactions, cont.: Cultural Reactions, cont. Reentry Shock
Reactions that occur as a result of re-adaptation to our home culture; often called “reverse culture shock”; shares some aspects in common with culture shock, but timing of stages very different.
Added complication of surprise: returnees usually don’t expect home culture to be unreceptive to them or to be so difficult to come back to; the “familiar” may seem “foreign.”
Expectations of self and others can play major role in adjustment process, and be a source of ongoing stress.
Specific context of reentry always a crucial variable.
Influences on Adjustment: Influences on Adjustment Time Abroad
Location (degree of difference)
Prior Exposure Overseas
Extent of Immersion
Home Contact/Support Networks
Prior Reentry Experience(s)
Degree of Home Culture Contrast
Slide18:
"When I go back I know I shall be out of it; we fellows who've spent our lives out
there always are.”
Somerset Maugham
Source: from The Gentleman in the Parlour quoted in Craig Storti,
The Art of Coming Home, Intercultural Press (1997), p. 1.
Reentry Predictor Variables: Reentry Predictor Variables Control Factors
Intrapersonal Factors
(personality/idiopathic issues)
Somatic/Biological Factors
Interpersonal (external support)
Time/Space
Geopolitical
Intensity Factors Adapted to Returnee Contexts: Intensity Factors Adapted to Returnee Contexts 1. Cultural Differences
2. Ethnocentrism
3. Language
4. Cultural Immersion*
5. Cultural Isolation*
6. Prior Intercultural Experience
7. Expectations*
8. Visibility/Invisibility
9. Status
10. Power and Control
*particularly salient in reentry contexts
Source: R. Michael Paige. “On the Nature of Intercultural Experiences and Intercultural Education,”
in R. Michael Paige, ed., Education for the Intercultural Experience,
Yarmouth, ME: Intercultural Press, 1994.
Reentry Program Models By Goal of Society or Organization: Reentry Program Models By Goal of Society or Organization
Reassimilation/Reacculturaltion/ Resocialization
Reflective Assessment
Growth and Integration
Negotiated Reentry
Source: Bruce La Brack, School of International Studies,
University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA
Reassimilation/Reacculturation/ Resocialization: Reassimilation/Reacculturation/ Resocialization Dominant historical patterns characterized by:
Reinforcement of normative (traditional?) values is paramount and applied society-wide
Deviation almost always results in negative sanctions
Social pressure to conform often intense
Limited ability of returnee to use prior experience
Cultural variations are mainly structural and depend on type of society (e.g., tribal, peasant, industrial) and location (e.g., rural, urban, metropolitan)
Limited mobility and/or alternative options
Human Society Dominated by Small Scale Societies Until 1800 : Human Society Dominated by Small Scale Societies Until 1800 For 250,000 years human society could be characterized as:
Small scale
Hunting/Gathering + Horticulture + Agriculture-based
Exhibiting “mechanical solidarity” or Gemeinschaft
society (Durkheim)
Held together by “Moral Order” (Robert Redfield)
Relatively isolated
Highly collectivist
In the 1800’s, there were 150 million people who were politically autonomous. In 1900, the number was still around 50 million.
Fit in or Suffer the Consequences!: Fit in or Suffer the Consequences! For 99% of human history, the role of the “returnee” was to fit back into prevailing cultural rules and roles of a specific society or kin group.
The penalties for not doing so have ranged from ostracism to extreme isolation, banishment, and even death!
Early Historical Samples: Early Historical Samples Rituals
Brahmannical Hindu purification rites from
Rig Veda (circa 1700-1100 BCE)
Literature
“Prodigal son” from New Testament Bible
Homer’s Odyssey
Asian History
Tokogawa Japan
Chinese response to Europeans
Journals
Marco Polo
Hsuan Tsang
Contemporary Samples from Smaller-Scale Societies: Contemporary Samples from Smaller-Scale Societies Western Apache of U.S. Southwest
Mende of Sierra Leone, West Africa
Yemeni of the Arabian Peninsula
Plato’s View of Strangers from The Laws: Plato’s View of Strangers from The Laws Utopian State needs to be insulated from the outside world as much as possible; therefore, in terms of foreign visitors, “good care” needs to be taken lest any “of this category of visitor introduces any novel custom.” Contact with strangers is to be kept “down to the unavoidable minimum.”
Plato’s View of Study Abroad: Plato’s View of Study Abroad “No young person under forty is ever to be allowed to travel abroad under any circumstances; nor is anyone to be allowed to go for private reasons, but only on some public business, as a herald or ambassador or as an observer of one sort or another.”
Plato’s View of Returnees: Plato’s View of Returnees Those who do go abroad for such purposes are obligated when they return to “tell the younger generation that the social and political customs of the rest of the world don’t measure up to their own.”
Source: The Global Philosophers: World Politics in Western Thought
(Issues in World Politics Series), Mark V. Kauppi
Macro Transformations 1800-1950 : Macro Transformations 1800-1950 Large scale nation-states emerge
Colonialism dominates political organization
Industrialization, agri-business and easier/cheaper
sea and land transportation possible
Societies move rapidly towards ‘Organic
Solidarity’…aka a Gessellschaft society (Durkheim),
held together by ‘Mechanical Order’ (Robert Redfield)
Widespread, cross-border economic and social
integration accelerates
Power increasingly centralized and urbanized
Many Western societies exhibit increasing individualist
tendencies and values
Internal cultural and social pluralism grows
Global circulation of elites and administrators commonplace
Macro Transformations 1950-Present: Macro Transformations 1950-Present End of colonialism
Massive internal & external migrations continue
“Plural” and “multi-cultural” societies become norm in West
and emerge elsewhere
Jet travel becomes fast and less expensive
Intensification of Global Mass Media/Pop Culture
Computer revolution
Internet evolution
Asynchronous communication increases
Non-traditional study abroad destinations increase
Internships/service learning components grow
Global management/manufacturing near universal trend
Economic and social integration/interdependency intensifies
World shrinks while diversity multiplies nearly everywhere
Shift in Goals of Repatriation: Shift in Goals of Repatriation Current philosophy of many study abroad and international exchange programs (at least in the West) revolves around a focus on Individual Growth:
Direct cross-cultural learning and exploration
Personal and cultural diversity seen as normal, positive and encouraged
Integration of sojourn with home academic and social life desired/expected to some extent
Result is a positive bias towards applying and integrating international experience into ongoing life and studies post-experience.
Expansion of Possibilities for Returnees: Expansion of Possibilities for Returnees Reassimilation/Reacculturation/Resocialization models remain common world-wide, however…
Growth and Integration
Reflective Assessment
Negotiated Reentry
examples have emerged as alternative models that support readjustment strategies for both institutions and individuals, reflected in growing differentiation of “reentry styles.”
New Issues and Contexts in Reentry: New Issues and Contexts in Reentry Global Nomads as percentage of returnees
“Heritage-seeking” students and attendant
identity issues
“Revolvers” (where and when is “home”?)
“Sequential Assignments” without meaningful time “at home” to readjust
Attractive global alternatives (“just leave”) and local alternatives (“just stay”—but with limited networks and narrow comfort zones)
Veterans (PTSD and reverse culture shock)
Local can be global Global can be local: Local can be global Global can be local Possibility of “cultural ghettoization” or social encapsulation—even in the most multi-cultural societies—with all associated negative results.
Possibility of finding or creating an “international and/or intercultural” experience increasingly likely—even in homogenous traditional settings, and without leaving home.
Pusch’s Reentry Styles: Pusch’s Reentry Styles “Going Home: Styles of Reentry”
by Margaret D. Pusch
In Donal Lynch, Adrian Pilbeam and Philip O'Connor, Heritage and Progress, from conference proceedings, SIETAR-Europa Conference, Bath, England, 1998.
Pusch ‘Styles’ & J. Bennett Marginality Categories Compared: Pusch ‘Styles’ & J. Bennett Marginality Categories Compared
‘Free Spirit’ can seen as equivalent of an
Encapsulated Marginal
‘Detached’ and ‘Integrator’ could both be seen as partial equivalents of a
Constructive Marginal
…depending upon degree of engagement
In-Patriation: A New Reentry Research Direction?: In-Patriation: A New Reentry Research Direction? Very recently, studies from areas as disparate as Ireland and Hong Kong/China have suggested a potential new direction in returnee research. They deal with return of expatriates (many formerly considered “permanent”) to their passport country due to current economic boom conditions. Adjustment patterns differ significantly from earlier expatriate returnees and associated literature. India is likely to experience similar patterns in near future.
Sample In-Patriation Studies: Sample In-Patriation Studies The “Returning to Ireland” website questionnaire of Dr. Michael J. Curran, Trinity College, Dublin, through which he gathered data on his interest in “the acculturation and health of current Irish in-migrants” (www.r-I.com) in 2005-2006. Site no longer available on web.
“Blending Cultures: Hong Kong Chinese Return Home,” paper by Dr. Nan Sussman, City University New York-Staten Island, presented at the SIETAR-USA Conference, Jersey City, N.J., November 2005; discusses the emergence of unique “re-migration reactions and effects” among Chinese returnees (former expatriates).
In-Patriation Article on India: In-Patriation Article on India “There’s No Place Like Home...Again: Returning to India:
Personal and Professional Challenges”
by Cindy Reif, in Strategic Advisor, Newsletter of GMAC: Global Relocation Services: Volume 2: Number 13 (Sept. 2006)
Source:
Research Review Source: Research Review Source The Psychology of Culture Shock, 2nd ed.,
Philadelphia, PA: Routledge, 2001
Colleen Ward, Stephen Bochner, and Adrian Furnham provide a superb, relatively current, review of study abroad and international student adaptation research as part of comprehensive review of “culture shock.” Includes extensive bibliography on both “culture shock” and “reentry shock.” Excellent overviews of study abroad, immigrant, international student and other categories of sojourners.
Global Nomads: Global Nomads David C. Pollock & Ruth Van Reken
Third Culture Kids: The Experience of Growing Up Among Worlds, 2nd ed.
Intercultural Press, 2001
Pico Iyer
The Global Soul: Jet Lag. Shopping Malls and the Search for Home
Knopf, 2000
Native American Veterans Rituals: Native American Veterans Rituals Tom Holm
Strong Hearts—Wounded Souls: Native American Veterans of the Vietnam War,
University of Texas-Austin, 1996
(see especially Chapter 6, “Strong Hearts,” on contemporary ceremonies)
New Challenges in Reentry Training: New Challenges in Reentry Training Greater domestic and international variety in types of returnees than ever before
Their experiences, expectations, and reactions will exhibit greater complexity, range and, sometimes, intensity
Alternative adjustment possibilities are often extensive, but choosing among or recommending them can be difficult
Consequences and outcomes of returnee adopting a specific strategy nearly always uncertain and often unpredictable
Local context always has an impact upon readjustment, but it can be multiplistic and positive or negative—and sometimes both simultaneously or sequentially! Depends upon an interplay among the attitudes of the returnees, the returnee’s goals and views of the local circumstances, and the prevailing perceptions of the returnees by the salient surrounding reference groups
Challenges in Reentry, cont.: Challenges in Reentry, cont. Possible Ethical Dilemmas
What to do when client sets expectations for a reentry training that may be incompatible, even diametrically opposed, to those desired by returnee?
What to do when it is clear that corporate interests do not coincide with that of returnee and/or their family in terms of repatriation goals/future plans?
What to do when trainer acquires information in course of reentry session that may adversely impact the sponsoring company, but returnee expects trainer to maintain confidentiality and company expects candor?
Expat Allegiance Patterns: Expat Allegiance Patterns Expatriates grouped into one of four allegiance patterns:
Free Agent: Expats have low allegiance to both the parent
firm and the local unit
Going Native: Expats have low allegiance to the parent firm and
high allegiance to the local unit
Hearts-at-home pattern: Expats identify more strongly with the
parent firm than with the local operation
Dual Citizen pattern: Expats are highly committed to both parent
and local operation
Source: Black, J. Stewart, and Gregersen, Hal B. ” Serving Two Masters: Managing the Dual Allegiance of Expatriate Employees,” Sloan Management Review, Cambridge, Summer 1992
Slide48: “In a sense, it is the coming back, the return, which gives meaning to the going forth. We really don’t know where we have been until we come back to where we were -- only where we were may not be as it was because of who we have become, which after all, is why we left.”
Source: Bernard, character from TV show “Northern Exposure”
after returning to Alaska from Africa