%0 Journal Article
%A Bunce, John A.
%+ Department of Human Behavior Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Max Planck Society
%T Cultural diversity in unequal societies sustained through cross-cultural competence and identity valuation : 
%G eng
%U https://hdl.handle.net/21.11116/0000-000A-AB76-1
%R 10.1057/s41599-021-00916-5
%7 2021-10-15
%D 2021
%8 15.10.2021
%* Review method: peer-reviewed
%X In much contemporary political discourse, valued cultural characteristics are threatened by interaction with culturally distinct others, such as immigrants or a hegemonic majority. Such interaction often fosters cross-cultural competence (CCC), the ability to interact successfully across cultural boundaries. However, most theories of cultural dynamics ignore CCC, making cultural diversity incompatible with mutually beneficial inter-group interaction, and contributing to fears of cultural loss. Here, interview-based field methods at an Amazonian ethnic boundary demonstrate the prevalence of CCC. These data motivate a new theoretical mathematical model, incorporating competing developmental paths to CCC and group identity valuation, that illuminates how a common strategy of disempowered minorities can counter-intuitively sustain cultural diversity within a single generation: Given strong group identity, minorities in a structurally unequal, integrative society can maintain their distinctive cultural norms by learning those of the majority. Furthermore, rather than a rejection of, or threat to, majority culture, the valuation of a distinctive minority identity can characterize CCC individuals committed to extensive, mutually beneficial engagement with the majority as members of an integrative, multi-cultural society.
%K Economics, Politics and international relations, Psychology, Social anthropology, Sociology

%J Humanities and Social Sciences Communications
%V 8
%] 238
%I Springer Nature
%@ 2662-9992