Songul Dogan Ger: Developing Students’ Cultural Diversity Awareness and Intercultural Communicative Competence in English Classes
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9 The Students’ Views About the Development of their Cultural Diversity Awareness and Intercultural Communicative Competence – Data Source 5: Interviews with the Students
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9.3 Findings
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9.3.4 The Students’ Critical Cultural Awareness/Political Education and Action

9.3.4 The Students’ Critical Cultural Awareness/Political Education and Action

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To explore the students’ level of critical cultural awareness, I asked what they thought shaped people’s attitudes, values, and beliefs. Their responses primarily pointed to two interrelated factors: religion and history. Many students saw religion as a strong cultural force influencing behaviour, particularly in relation to gender norms. Pierre explained, “People’s attitudes depend on the culture and the person. For example, I’m Christian, but I’m not very religious. Some Muslims are very religious and must be very strict with their actions.” Benjamin similarly remarked, “Women cannot get close to men because of their religion… probably because it is written in their holy book.”

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The students’ understanding of cultural variation through religion often stemmed from their daily interactions in the international school environment, where visible markers of religion—such as dietary customs, clothing, and absence from certain lessons—sparked conversations. Through such encounters, they came to identify values and beliefs, the less visible aspects of culture (Lázár et al., 2007). Yet, some of their comments revealed generalisations, as when Max concluded, “You can be friends, but you're not allowed to sit next to them [women]; that's the religion thing.”

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In addition to religion, several students attributed cultural differences to historical backgrounds. “It’s mainly because of the historical backgrounds of the countries,” Maverick noted, adding that beliefs and customs were passed down through generations. Lukas echoed this: “It’s because the way they grew up and their history made their culture.” Although these observations were at times oversimplified, they nonetheless reflected the students’ attempts to understand cultural difference beyond surface-level behaviours.

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When asked how they perceived communication with people from different cultures, all students recognised its value. They cited reasons ranging from developing empathy and building friendships to acquiring better communication skills. Maverick reflected, “The more you know about cultures, the better you understand people… I do that on a daily basis.” Others, like Lukas, emphasised adaptability: “You can improve how to interact and approach someone… try to speak with them in a way they are comfortable with.” Many students saw intercultural communication as a necessary part of both travel and social integration.

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The interviews also explored the students’ willingness to take action against discrimination and bias. Most stressed the importance of nonviolent resistance. Kate stated, “We need some people who are brave enough to protest and try to change discrimination… but nobody should get hurt.” Several advocated for raising awareness via social media, involving adults, or calling the police, while three students mentioned using physical force in extreme cases. Benjamin candidly said, “I would just fight him. I would beat him up. Yeah, physically.” Although these views indicated a readiness to act, they also revealed limited knowledge of peaceful strategies to challenge injustice.

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Further, when asked about defending human rights, the students agreed that such rights must be protected, yet they perceived protest as the primary—sometimes dangerous—form of resistance. This fear appeared deeply connected to their lived experiences or media representations. “In some places, like my country, they will go against you. The government will kill you and put you in prison,” Lukas explained. Others spoke of the risks of being imprisoned or silenced. Their understanding of human rights protection was thus framed by the assumption that activism involved personal threat and confrontation with the state.

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Some students referenced marginalised groups in their responses, such as women in Muslim-majority countries or Black individuals facing racism. However, their framing occasionally reproduced problematic stereotypes, as when Maverick said, “In Muslim countries, women don’t have rights.” Despite these generalisations, the students expressed strong beliefs in equality and the need to speak out against injustice.

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

The findings from this section suggest that the students had developed a foundational awareness of cultural diversity and human rights through their schooling and peer interactions. Their ability to attribute behaviours to religion or history demonstrated early critical cultural reflection. However, their responses were often framed by limited or generalised understandings, shaped by personal background, media, and informal learning. While they valued intercultural communication and saw action against injustice as necessary, their ideas about political engagement and rights protection lacked depth and practical clarity. These findings highlight the need for formal, critical intercultural education, including opportunities to analyse stereotypes, understand structural inequalities, and explore democratic citizenship through guided reflection, discussion, and rights-based pedagogies.
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