How Russians see foreigners?

In his best-seller book, «Riding the Waves of Culture,» Fons Trompenaars analyzes cultures through the prism of seven dimensions. To illustrate, for instance, the differences between the British and Russian cultures, one dimension is particularly relevant, the Diffuse/Specific dimension.

A ccording to Fons Trompenaars, «people from specific cultures start with the elements, the specifics. F irst they analyze them separately, and then they put them back together again.

I n specific cultures, the whole is the sum of its parts. E ach person’s life is divided into many components: you can only enter one at a time. I nteractions between people are highly purposeful and well defined. Specific individuals concentrate on hard facts, standards, and contracts.

People from diffusely oriented cultures start with the whole and see each element in perspective of the total. All elements are related to each other. These relationships are more important than each separate element; so the whole is more than just the sum of its elements. The various roles someone might play in your life are not separated. Qualities cherished by diffuse cultures include style, demeanour, ambiance, trust, understanding, etc."

It was noted by many interviewers that in Russia it was for the first time in their life when they felt real fear for their life. Some of them, having luckily escaped from civil wars and genocide in their home countries, became disadvantaged and wounded by hooligans — racially motivated Russian youngsters.

These problems remain more acute especially for refuges, than for students coming from developing countries. Refugees' documents are usually not recognized by Russian police and identify their unprotected status more than their personality. All these facts make it evident that attitude of Russians towards foreighners is far from being friendly.

Bibliography

Ларченко С., Еремин С. Межкультурное взаимодействие в историческом процессе. — Новосибирск, 1991. — 238c.

Ларченко С. Г. Социальные детерминации этнокультурного развития. — Новосибирск, 1999. — 346c.

Чешко С. В. Человек и этничность/ Этнографическое обозрение 1994, № 6. — С. 24−38.

Trompenaars F. Riding the Waves of Culture. Boston, 2002. 288p.

Чешко С. В. Человек и этничность/ Этнографическое обозрение 1994, № 6. — С. 25.

Ларченко С. Г. Социальные детерминации этнокультурного развития. — Новосибирск, 1999. -C. 67.

Чешко С. В. Человек и этничность/ Этнографическое обозрение 1994, № 6. — С. 30.

Ларченко С., Еремин С. Межкультурное взаимодействие в историческом процессе. — Новосибирск, 1991. -С. 44.

Trompenaars F. Riding the Waves of Culture. Boston, 2002. Р. 76−77.