Collaborative webinar SIETAR Polska and SIETAR France Community
DESCRIPTION:
The Idea of Culture Lab: The aim is not only to deepen participants’ knowledge of well-known models of cultural comparison, but also to introduce other concepts and perspectives discovered by researchers in ethnology, sociology, and psychology. These can be useful both for self-understanding and for gaining a better understanding of others.
Who is it for: Anyone interested in learning more about cultural differences and the relationship between culture, thinking, and behavior. We will likely focus mainly on Polish cultural patterns, but this will also depend on the participants. I warmly invite people from outside Poland as well – together we could create a synergy effect by seeing ourselves reflected in the mirrors of our cultures.
Format: A series of 1–1.5 hour workshops. Group tasks and discussion will be a key part of each meeting.
Session No. 1: The Deep Meaning of Hospitality
We will start with a brief introduction to “hospitality” as an anthropological concept. Are the norms, boundaries, and rituals of hospitality universal?
One of the Polish self-stereotypes is hospitality. An old saying goes: “A guest in the house is God in the house.” Have hospitality rituals changed in Poland or in your country over the last decades? What factors influence changes in hospitality practices? What are the limits of hospitality (definition of a welcome guest, situational context, age, gender)? How is hospitality related to politics and religion (migration, refugees, war, public narratives)? Examples of different understandings of hospitality in various cultures.
Summary: Based on the insights from our meeting, can we finally say that the Polish self-stereotype of hospitality is true, or is the answer more complex
Kate Szełemej-Pobożniak
A trainer in intercultural communication, she holds a Master’s degree in Ethnology from the Free University of Berlin, a Master’s degree in Economics from the Warsaw School of Economics, a postgraduate diploma in Motivational Psychology from SWPS University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Latin American Studies from Universität Passau. She is also a certified ICF coach and a psychological crisis consultant.
At the same time, Kate serves as vice president at Haxel Events & Incentive, a Warsaw-based company specializing in incentive travel. Her professional and personal journeys have taken her to nearly 100 countries. More information can be found at https://kasiaszelemej.pl.