An article on Law.com, entitled The Culture Gap, is talking about how law firms are trying to break the cultural gaps between different cultures.

In Latin countries, be prepared for two-hour meals before talking business. In China, save the small talk for after the deal. And in France, you may want to arrive at a meeting fashionably late.

Globalization of the legal world has led more lawyers to travel overseas and work with foreign clients, so grasping another country’s customs can make or break a lawyer’s deal.

The article addresses the importance of issues like proper business card exchange, meeting the VPs, and lawyers’ roles etc. There are some interesting remarks in the article:

Brian Szepkouski, a certified trainer at Etiquette International in New York City who also runs his own intercultural management consulting business in New Jersey, said corporations are proactive when it comes to cross-cultural training, but law firms tend to be more reactive and wait for a pressing issue to come up.

and,

Mary Crane, a lawyer who heads Mary Crane & Associates, which consults Fortune 500 companies and law firms on various issues, including business etiquette, said law firms have been paying more attention.

“They are recognizing this is critically important,” she said. “Working in a global economy, one needs to have an understanding of international protocols. It’s an ounce of prevention.

and,

Kaplan, from Howard Rice, said large law firms should consider such investments so that American lawyers don’t learn through mistakes.

“You’re kind of an ambassador of your country every time you go abroad to do work,” he said.

“We’re considered ignorant, so to try to break that as a stereotype, I think that type of training would be highly appropriate,” he added.

In many places in the article, etiquettes in Asian cultures are mentioned.

从1999年开始实行“五一黄金周”至今也有八年之久了，还第一次听说“黄金周是中产阶层的假日”一说。“中产阶层”、“中产者”作为概念显然已经为人们所知所受，同时越来越多的谈论却莫衷一是。媒体也众说纷纭：

• 国家统计局：我国中产阶层进入重要形成期（2004年09月07日新华网），

根据国家统计局最新统计数据显示，在北京、深圳、上海、广州等城市，居民消费已由实物消费为主走上实物消费与服务消费并重的轨道。这意味着本世纪初的10年到20年间，这些大城市将迎来中产阶层形成的重要时期。

• 争鸣：“迎来中产阶层重要形成期”？（2004年09月18日人民网）

进入中产阶层的“重要形成期”，也即表明中产阶层家庭越来越多。而在人口总量变化不大情形下，这也就意味着城市中的中产阶级以下人群将要缩小。但可以看到的情形是，城市中富裕起来的人是有一些，但不富裕甚至比较困难的家庭却越来越多，有些家庭甚至越来越贫困。下岗、失业人员的增多，下岗、失业增多势头短期内的难以遏制，以及大量素质相对低些的农村人口的涌入，决定着我国城市人口中产阶层化、社会经济结构向橄榄型演变的进程将会是缓慢的。

• 中产缺乏的社会（2005年01月21日TOM.COM）

今天我们充满了认识上的困惑。一方面要扶植中产阶层的形成，另一方面模糊的中产阶层现状，又使扶植成为社会利益的再分配，这种再分配似乎更应当向弱势群体倾斜。我们需要建立一个广泛的，多个层次的社会对个体的支持系统。生病了之后有医疗保险，绝大多数人都买得起住房，即便还是要努力一下，教育可以是一种消费，但同时也是一种权利。

• 中产阶层冷思考（2005年01月25日网易专题）

面对如此少的实际意义上的中产，我们不得不承认，中产在数量上还很难称之为一个阶层，而他们创造的特殊的消费行为模式、生活方式和社会价值态度，也很难称之为中产阶层文化，也就无法发挥中产阶层在其社会中起到的作用，在某种程度上，它最多只能算是一种精英文化。

• 中产阶层如何界定？中产者的十大人生选择（2005年02月03日新华网）

有许多人认为，中产阶层的崛起不仅预示着一个富裕时代的开始，而且他们稳健有力的特质也给了人们更多看到一个更繁荣、更趋合理的理性社会的希望，那么中产阶层在社会经济又中究竟能发挥怎样的作用？

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Dear readers,

this excellent article is submitted by Prof. Biju Longhinos and Prof. Sarah Sanders Smith. The Journal would like to take this opportunity to extend our thanks and acknowledgment to them for their great contribution to this Journal and to intercultural studies in general.

Credits and copyrights of the article shall go to the authors.

With permissions from the authors, the Journal has converted the article into Acrobat pdf format and you can download it here.

Abstract

The State of Kerala, India is unique not only in its geographical design, but also in the culture of its people. Keralites are masters of acculturation. Known as India’s most peaceful state, the citizens of Kerala enjoy the highest quality health care, longevity that surpasses all other Indian states, excellent educational resources, as well as gender and caste equality. Benefactors of early visits from multiple cultures, successful acculturation developed the Keralite ethos – an excellent example of diversity – embraced!

Key words: Acculturation, India, Culture, Adaptation, Diversity

Authors

Prof. Biju Longhinos

University College, Trivandrum City, Kerala, India 695 034 {Secretary, Union of Government College Teachers – India, Member Federacion International Sydicale de la Enzanza (FISE-WFTU)} Contact: akademi.unionist#gmail.com

Prof. Sarah Sanders Smith

Purdue University – North Central, 1401 S US Hwy 421, Westville, IN 46391 Contact: (219)785-5684, ssmith#pnc.edu

The State of Kerala, India: A Case Study of Acculturation in Diversity

India is one of the oldest civilizations in the world. During the last 59 years of democracy, this country has achieved phenomenal socio-economic progress. Self-sufficient in agricultural production, India is now the tenth industrialized country in the world (mapsofindia.com). With one foot steeped in rich cultural traditions and the other fervently striding into the entrepreneurial e-age, India embraces its diversity with unmatched serenity. This country spans 3.28 million square kilometers and is comprised of 28 states and seven union territories. India, since independence, has a parliamentary form of democratic governance.

Kerala, the most southwestern area of India, is a reactive state; well know for a co-existence of orthodoxies and leftist movement. This mosaic has nurtured ideological polarization and intellectual conflicts between right wing and left wing thoughts. Critical discernment of issues has thus become a part of Kerala’s society (which supplemented social growth productively and qualitatively). Thorough understanding of social needs and wanted changes insisted that the apostles of orthodoxies accept dismantling of caste in social spheres, provide ownership to workers and remove matriarchal inheritance. Meanwhile, the leftists were molded to be responsive, but pacifically. As a result, the communist movement evolved in Kerala. During the 1940′s, Keralites adopted democracy much sooner than the communists of the rest of world even thought about doing so. The most acclaimed acts that belong to the communist movement in the state include acceptance of cultural and intellectual pluralism, leading to co-evolution of orthodoxy and leftism. This dynamic created a new Kerala: a realistic melting pot of acculturation. The modern phase of acculturation, which roots its initiation in social tensions, expounded around 1810AD and has subsequently and successfully resulted in nurturing pro-people attitudes among different rulers in the region. Throughout the last 150 years, acculturation has matured and the region today abodes the highest literacy rate, lowest infant mortality rate, a very low birth rate, high women empowerment rate and enhanced human dignity. These traits identify a separate identity for Kerala (apart from other states of the Indian Union).

How did Kerala, geographically segmented from most of India, develop such a diverse yet harmonious culture? This case profiles the unique State of Kerala. Today, Americans and Indians may collaborate, by choice or necessity, with each other in business and education. The people of Kerala are the masters of acculturation. What then, could Americans (as well as people from various cultures) learn from the Keralites? Benefits from Kerala’s acculturation should encourage all people to enhance communication, cooperation, and acculturation.

The Geography of Kerala

By Indian standards, Kerala is a small state, tucked away in the southwest corner of the country. Kerala represents 1.18 percent of the total area of India and hosts 3.34% of the total population of the country. It is separated from the rest of the peninsula by natural geographic boundaries. The mountainous Western Ghats, with rich primeval forests and a high degree of rainfall, form the eastern boundary of Kerala. They extend from the north to Kanyakumari in the south. Further south of the Western Ghats region lie the Cardamom Hills. The entire western border of Kerala, 560 km in length, is established via the Arabian Sea. Between these natural boundaries lies the long and narrow area of land which defines Kerala. At the widest area, Kerala spans 120-km from the sea to mountains.

According to www.kerala.com, this state is divided into three geographical regions: the highlands, midlands and coastal lowlands. The highlands slope downward from the Western Ghats, which rise to an average height of 900 m. A number of peaks exceed 1,800 m in height. Major plantations that produce tea, coffee, rubber, cardamom and other agricultural species are located in the highlands. The midlands lie between the mountains and the lowlands. This region is comprised of undulating hills and valleys. Intensive crop cultivation (cashew, coconut, areca nut, cassava, banana, rice, ginger, pepper, sugarcane) and vegetables of different varieties are produced in the midlands. The lowlands of Kerala are networked by a seemingly endless, intricate maze of backwaters and the estuaries of forty-four glimmering rivers.

Historically in Kerala, (two to three thousand years ago), the lives of common people were not based on caste distinctions and prejudices. Rather, broad division of the population established based upon occupations. Assisted by geographical design, Keralites based their occupations on the nature of the land on which they resided. Divisions included Kurinchi (mountain land), Palai (arid land), Mullai (pastures), Marutan (west land) and Neytal (coastal land). The Kuravar (hunters) of Kurinchi, the Maravar (fighting men) of Palai, the Idayas (cowherds and shepherds) of Mullai, the Uzhavas (agriculturists) of Marutam and the Paravas (fishermen) of the Neytal were all from the same race.

Kerala, commonly hailed as God’s Own Country, is highly revered due to its geographical and sociological features. Geographically, a long coastline in the west and mountains on the east form clear natural boundaries. The eastern hill ranges protected Kerala from direct invasion of military forces. Thus, Kerala remained a free country even before Indian union formation.

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The Lantern Festival (元宵节) is on the 15th day of the first month of the Lunar Year, taking place under a full moon, and marks the end of Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) festivities. For the year of 2007, it is today – the 4th of March. It is said that the Festival dates back to shrouded legends of the Han Dynasty over 2000 years ago.

The important festivity for this day is watching lanterns of numerous kinds, and “Guessing lantern riddles” is an essential part of the Festival. People write riddles on a piece of paper and post them on the lanterns (or write them directly on the lanterns). Visitors who work out the solutions to the riddles can tear it off (or remember the numbers) and take it the lantern owners to check their answer. Sometimes, if the solution are right, they will be given a little gift.

The special food for the Festival is Yuan Xiao (元宵) or Tang Yuan (汤圆), or rice dumplings. Yuan Xiao are balls of glutinous rice rolled around a filling of sesame, peanuts, vegetable, or meat. Yuan Xiao can be boiled or fried. Tang Yuan are often cooked in red-bean or other kinds of soup.

It is said that the custom of eating Yuanxiao originated during the Eastern Jin Dynasty in the fourth centuty, then became popular during the Tang and Song periods. The round shape symbolizes wholeness and unity.

Note: Some photos are from http://www.pingtan.com.cn/.

Today is the third day of the Chinese New Year. Most people are still on holidays enjoying themselves with family feast, delicious food, visiting relatives and friends, going to art performances, and firing fireworks and firecrackers. Spring Festival, known to the West more as the Chinese New Year and comparable to the Christmas holidays in the West, is the most important celebration for Chinese people every year.

There are various kinds of festivities during the Spring Festival period. Although the official holiday is usually about a week starting from the first day of the lunar New Year, the preparation and celebrations for the New Year actually starts from the last month of the previous year, as early as on the 8th day of the 12th lunar month when many families enjoy “laba porridge” (腊八粥) made with glutinous rice, millet, seeds of Job’s tears, jujube berries, lotus seeds, beans, longan and gingko, and will not end until the day of the Lantern Festival on the 15^th of the first lunar month.

Spring Festival Couplets

As a tradition, before the New Year comes, every people would completely clean the indoors and outdoors and beautify their homes with traditional ornaments. In many places particularly in the countryside, people would decorate all their door panels with Spring Festival couplets, putting down the best wishes for good luck, bright future, happiness and wealth, bright future for the New Year. The Spring Festival couplets are usually done with Chinese calligraphy with black or golden characters on red paper.

Reversed “Fu”

Among all the decorations, the Chinese character “fu” (福) is a must. This character, meaning blessing and happiness, would usually be pasted upside down. In Chinese, the “reversed fu” is homophonic with “fu comes” or “fu arrives”, both pronounced as “fu-dao-le” (福到了).

New Year’s Eve Family Feast

People attach great importance to Spring Festival Eve. All family members will be together, and have dinner together. Typically, this meal is more luxurious than usual. And the menu is a set of meaningful dishes, such as fish – “yu” (鱼), which is homophonic with ‘abundance’, would be a ‘must-have’. Others dishes like chicken and bean curd, pronounced respectively “ji” (鸡), and “doufu,” (豆腐), meaning auspiciousness (吉) and richness (富), will also be dishes for that dinner.

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