Culture,courage and collectivism: An insider’s guide to culture in American schools

Abstract

The nature of individualistic and collectivistic societies has been talked about in a variety of settings. This article addresses the points raised by Omi (2012) in his ethnographic examination of American schools from the cultural perspective of a Japanese family experience. From personal observations to establishment of collectivist and positivist approaches, the issues which arise are those of a deeper cultural understanding and appreciation of not only the differences between cultures, but the reasons for those differences. Rather than focusing on the promotive or repressive nature of collectivism, geographical and courage-based approaches are raised as alternatives for behavior and cultural expectations. In much the same way that Omi raises concerns about the differences between cultural expectations and actions in American schools from the perspective of a Japanese family, many of the same surprises would await an American family in Japan.