Understanding Global Cultures China, Singapore, India Chapters 26-28

1. Understanding Global CulturesChina, Singapore, IndiaChapters 26-28 Brynn Cauffman, Spencer Cox, Taryn Crews, Michael Grizzle, Hannah Ives, Tina Roren, YeseniaSaldivar

2. China

3. Ming-Jer Chen (2001, p.19) One of the most famous sites on the campus of Tianjin University … is a stone engraved with a copy of the very first diploma. … Next to the date on the diploma, 1900, the graduate’s name is printed, along with the names of his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. … The diploma speaks volumes about the strength of family tradition in Chinese society. Like any individual in Chinese society, the graduate exists primarily in the context of his family. His achievements belong to them all.

4. The Chinese Family Altar • Traditional Buddhist Temple’s • Different images of the Buddha • Fierce-looking Warriors • Rough-looking beards and mustaches, and the carry large swords • GLOBE study • Have demonstrated, it is possible to cluster countries into groups that are similar to one another in terms of language, religion, and geographical closeness

5. The Importance of Family • The Family Altar • No equivalent word for privacy • Stress the importance of the group rather than the individual • The word “I” • Has a negative connotation

6. The Importance of Family • The specific aspects of the altar are: • Roundness, symbolizing the continuity and structural completeness of the family • Harmony within the family and the broader society • Fluidity or the capacity to change while maintaining solid traditions

7. The Expatriate Chinese • The Chinese expatriate • Faced discrimination and resentment in Indonesia and Malaysia • Indonesian Government • Assumed control of major Chinese companies valued in the billions • In Malaysia • Chinese cannot be the CEO of a company seeking government contracts

8. Hong Kong • Hong Kong • 95% of whose citizens are Chinese, population of 7.1 million, and occupies only a small area of 412 square miles • Due to increased success of businesses executives were forced to build “vertical factories” housed in tall buildings

9. Roundness • The Altar • Is the “ties that bind” a dispersed family and serves as a focal point for viewing an extended family as including the living, the dead, and those as yet unborn. • Very helpful in providing insight into the values, attitudes, and behaviors of the Chinese today, wherever they may live.

10. The Role of Women • Problems with roundness. • Can’t bear children • Chinese Law • Premature death • Inequality of Sexes • Polygamy • Chinese Business • Limited Growth • Non-family members

11. Looking at the Long Term • Long-term perspective • 10, 20, 100-year increments • Confucian Dynamic • Long-term orientation • Protestant ethic • Louis Kraar • System of Bao-Jia • Arranged by neighborhoods & districts • Unit Leaders

12. Chinese Practice of Guanxi • A person exists only in relation to others. • Layers of Guanxi • People and ancestors • People from the same village • Members of the family • Family and close associates • Contracts in Chinese Culture • Chinese and the use of banks

13. The Modern Businessman • “Spacemen” • Working with non-Chinese businessmen • Guanxi Limitations • Developed slowly • Excludes individuals who provide new business opportunities • At odds with the contract-based business

14. Harmony Second Characteristic of the family altar “The Japanese Garden” Harmonious Family Most common prayer Chinese belief in luck and fate

15. Fluidity • Third characteristic of the family altar • Capacity to change while maintaining solid traditions. • Reflects the Chinese relation-orientation • Innovative and Entrepreneurial • Science and Civilization in China • Prayer to gods and goddesses

16. The History of China • Roundness • Han= the largest cultural group • Harmony • 400 ethnic groups • Fluidity • Dynasties in Chinese history • Endless cycle of renewal and decline

17. Singapore

18. Interesting Facts Population of 4.3 million Population density of 6,729 (U.S- 32) Very poor country 50 years ago however now is the leading banking and finance center GDP of $24,840, 29th in the world One of the world’s most prosperous countries World’s busiest port People usually see Singapore as a very friendly country and have a positive experience upon visiting

19. Hawker Center Venue with wide variety of traditional ethnic foods Each center is a collection of at least 20 food stalls at the same location Casual/ informal atmosphere Unique aspect of Singapore’s culture

20. Origins of the Hawker Centers • In the 1950s and 1960s the centers were operating under unhygienic conditions • Lack of piped water and cook stations • Government developed a plan to build designated areas for hawkers • Census in 1968 and 1969 registered 18,000 street hawkers • Hawking licenses eliminated illegal hawking

21. Origins of the Hawker Centers • In 1970 government began to relocate street hawkers • New centers equipped with proper facilities for cooking and efficient drainage systems • By February 1986 all street hawkers were completely relocated • In 2000 there were 139 centers with 17,331 stalls • In 2007 there were 113 centers with 6,000 cooked food stalls • All centers are licensed by the ENV

22. Singapore’s History Modern Singapore began in 1819 when Sir Stamford Raffles claimed the island In 1832 Singapore was established as the Straits Settlement and became as separate British crown colony in 1867 During WWII the Japanese occupied the nation and renamed Syonan-to (“Light of the Island”) In 1946 Singapore became a British crown colony In 1963 Singapore, Sarawak and North Borneo formed Malaysia

23. Singapore’s History In 1965 Singapore became an independent nation Singapore initiated a massive industrialization project of economic restructuring Confucian ideals employed by Chinese

24. Ethnic Diversity But Unity Hawker Centers have Chinese, Malay, Peranakan, Indian and international food Government encourages ethnic groups to intermingle Stall holders have to work together and behave responsibly

25. Shared Values Program Nation before community and society before self Family as the basic unit of society Community support and respect for the individual Consensus, not confliction Racial and religions harmony

26. Singapore’s History Local term “Kiasu-ness” “Singlish” miss of English and common Chinese phrases Military training contributes to cooperation among different races Educational system also focuses on cooperation among the different races

27. Efficiency 1 unspoken rule at a hawker center: be quick and efficient Customers only have a few seconds to order their food Meaningless conversation is left out Tendency of Singaporeans to make conversation is to be short and efficient Singapore has advanced technologies in finance and transportation systems

28. Efficiency • Public buses: light turn green for them during rush hours • Singaporeans deemphasize leisure due to their efficiency & productivity • Birth rate = 1.4 babies per woman • Estimated 1/3 of Singapore's population will be 60 or over by 2030 • Social Development Unit = a department created by the government • Encourages college graduates to marry • Called “single, desperate, and ugly” department

29. Power of Women • Number of men and women working at a hawker center have similar positions with equally long hours • Women frequently occupy the upper hierarchy • In comparison with other Asian countries, Singapore’s views equality for women • Women have become CEOs, ambassadors, and leaders of major companies

30. Safety • Large number of rules compared to other countries • Many youths feel stymied because of the number of rules • Fines for littering (1st time offenders are fined 1,000 Singapore dollars) • Death penalty is standard for drug trafficking ranging from 15g of heroin to 1.2kg of opium • No homeless people in Singapore

31. Safety Internal Security Act (ISA) lets official detain people without trial Prostitution in better sections of the city in Singapore The government is paternalistic and in all-providing authority Hawker centers are safe places and usually open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Low crime rate compared to neighboring nations

32. Synthesizing Traditionaland New Values • Hawker centers sell traditional Southeast Asian food as well, as newer Western food • All three ethnic groups (Chinese, Malays, and Indian) celebrate major festivals • Government has decreed all such ethnic celebrations are national holidays • Educational system is ditching rote learning and memorization techniques & emphasizing more on math and science

33. India

34. India 2nd largest country in the world Population of more than 1 billion (China is number 1) Colonized by Britain but became independent in 1947 Member of the BRIC club (Brazil, Russia, India, China) Life expectancy has increased from 32 to 65

35. India • This nation has the largest number of college educated scientists and computer specialists in the world • India’s limited success is its dramatic increase in population without corresponding growth in resources • Religious diversity is a major feature of India • For 2,000 years India was almost completely Hindu

36. Shiva’s Dance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDidNcTEjtA 3 most important Gods in Hindu are Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu (the Preserver), & Shiva (the Destroyer) Dancing Shiva has been described as “clearest image of the activity of God which any art or religion can boast of”

37. Shiva’s Dance When Shiva lapses into activity the cosmos become chaos and destruction follows The Dance of Shiva represents both the conception of world processes as a supreme being’s pastime and in the very nature of that blessed being The dance symbolizes the 5 main activities of the supreme being: creation and development; preservation and support; change and destruction; shrouding, symbolism, illusion, and giving rest; and release, salvation, and grace

38. Indian Culture: Early History • Basic Indian culture comes from the people’s Dravidian and Aryan ethnic origins • Dravidian’s came to India from the eastern Mediterranean coast 3000 years before Christ • About 1500 BC this civilization fell into decline, and its people migrated to the southern part of the Indian’s subcontinent • At the same time the Aryan’s arrived in India from Persia • Today’s population = 72% Aryan origin, 25% Dravidian

39. Indian Culture: Early History • India’s most populous cities (among the 40 largest in the world) include: Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai, and Bangalore • India has recovered from cycles of chaos again harmony time and time again • North and South India have different historical roots • North has been subjected to a series of foreign invasions so the North is more of a mixed heritage

40. Muslim Rule • Began in north India in the early 13th century until the middle of the 19th century • Muslim rulers were harsh on Hindu’s except the great Mughal emperor Akbar who married a Hindu princess • Fostered tolerance for all religions and had Hindu’s in high positions and received Jesuit priests in his court • There have been forceful conversion of Hindus to Muslims • These new Muslims were turned into second class citizens

41. Muslim Rule • Confrontation between Muslims and Hindus have always been incompatible religious systems and a mutual hatred between the two still is around today • The Muslim Mughal empire began to erode in the 18th century • Independent regional kingdoms sprang up everywhere until the British came in the 19th century

42. The British Raj • Instituted direct rule over India in 1857 • Many Indians think of this event as the 1st war of Independence • The British garison at Kanpur was slaughtered • Early expressions of nationalism first occurred in the Indian National Congress in 1885 and the All-India Muslim League in 1906 • Inspired by Gandhi the Indian National Congress began a program of peaceful noncooperation with British Rule • Gandhi was killed right after India gained their independence from Britain

43. Modern Leaders • Jawaharlal Nehru, head of Congress became the first prime minister of India in 1947 • His concepts were freedom, democracy, socialism, world peace, and international cooperation • Indira Gandhi succeeded Nehru in office (is Nehru’s daughter) • Invoked the emergency provisions of the constitution in 1975 and suspended civil liberties

44. Modern Leaders • Rajiv Gandhi (Indira’s son) became prime minister on her death • On Rajiv’s death the Congress party was swept back into power • Rajiv’s widow, Sonia Gandhi is now the president of the Congress party • Forbes magazine ranked her as the sixth most powerful woman in the world in 2007

45. Cyclical Hindu Philosophy Philosophy overlaps religion Hinduism BharataVarsha: “Land of actors” Happiness through spiritual enlightenment Mukti (salvation) and Moksha (Perception) Four paths; Bhakti yoga, Karma yoga, Jnana yoga and Raja yoga

46. Cyclical Hindu Philosophy • Jivas (souls) • Personalized unconscious; • Sattva (clarity ,light) • Rajas ( passion, desire) • Tamas (dullness, darkness) • Hindu Astrology • Endless cycle of the soul through birth, life, death, and reincarnation

47. The Cycle of Life • Stage 1: Student • Learn • Stage 2: Householder • Family • Vocation • Community

48. The Cycle of Life • Stage 3: Retirement • True education • “White-bearded man” • Stage 4: Sannyasin • “One who neither hates nor loves anything” • Mukti • Reward or punishment based on their accumulated good and bad deeds

49. The Cycle of Life • Importance of Astrology • Matching the horoscopes of a bride and groom • Concept of time is cyclical • Religious images made of permanent materials • Practice religion at home