Stereotypes

In simpler terms:



Stereotypes are very general ideas about groups of people. For example, to say “All Chinese people like to practice Kung Fu” is a stereotype They can be positive, negative and neutral. (Positive example: “All Englishmen are gentlemen”. Neutral example: “All Englishmen carry umbrellas”. Negative example: “All Englishmen believe they are superior to nonEnglishmen”) They are often misleading and best avoided
How to consider culture without stereotyping:


Instead of saying “All Germans are efficient”, we can say “Germans have a reputation for efficiency”- We acknowledge that this is a question of reputation; we are not suggesting it is something true of every person of that nationality We can say “There is a stereotype that all English people carry umbrellas, but this is not always the case”- we acknowledge the stereotype, but don’t accept it without question
Positive American stereo “The American Dream” Enthusiastic Practical Open-minded Creative Good at sports
Neutral American Stereotypes:


Eat Hamburgers and steaks Rich Wear cowboy-hats and jeans Open about their feelings/emotions Like guns (positive or negative, depending on your opinion)
Negative American Stereotypes:

Rude and arrogant Fat and greedy Believe themselves superior Want to take over/rule the world
A more balanced view:
A more balanced view:



The British have a reputation for good manners, but sadly, not all British people live up to it. Britain today is an extremely diverse nation; there are many different people with different beliefs. While many Brits are conscious of history and proud of certain things (such as the Industrial Revolution and victory in World War II), few Brits would claim to be proud of the British Empire and our colonial history. In EVERY NATION, there are some people who would consider their nation superior to other nations, but this is NOT a common belief in the UK today; it is often considered somewhat foolish.
Why avoid stereotyping?



They can cause offence They are unscientific; people are never that simple, no matter where they come from! They can lead to serious social discrimination; people being punished simply for being of a certain nationality or ethnic group. If you stereotype people, you are likely to look very foolish!
An Introduction to the UK and USA today
Keeping open minds and avoiding stereotypes
What ideas do you have about British people?
What ideas do you have about American people?
The heart of the matter is….

….we are not all the same, wherever we come from!
Think about this:

What stereotypes (positive, neutral and negative) do you think some people may hold about Chinese people?
Some common stereotypes of British and American people...

....and some antidotes to them...
Positive British Stereotypes:
• • •
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• • •
Gentlemen Polite/well-mannered Well-educated Hard-working Sportsmen-like: Sense of “fair-play” Humorous Inventive and creative
What is a stereotype?
Dictionary Definition

Definition: Stereotypes are characteristics ascribed to groups of people involving gender, race, national origin and other factors. These characteristics tend to be oversimplifications of the groups involved, however. For example, someone who meets a few individuals from a particular country and finds them to be quiet and reserved may spread the word that all citizens from the country in question are quiet and reserved. A generalization such as this doesn’t allow for diversity within groups and may result in stigmatization and discrimination of groups if the stereotypes linked to them are largely negative. That said, even so-called positive stereotypes can be harmful due to their limiting nature.
Neutral British Stereotypes:
•
• • • • • •
Socially conservative (positive or negative, depending on your opinion) Reserved when expressing emotions Carry umbrellas Wear bowler-hats (men) Rich Eat roast beef and drink warm beer Like cricket, football (“soccer”) and tennis
But...


Stereotypes do not come from nowhere It is sometimes necessary to make some general statements about a culture in order to understand it Just BE CAREFUL when you do this



The actions of the US government do NOT reflect the wishes of ALL the American people (the same is the case in the UK). The USA is also a VERY diverse nation, even more so than the UK. Many Americans are proud of their history, having overcome difficult circumstances and become successful, but very few would claim to be proud of aspects such as slavery, the oppression of the native peoples and racial segregation
How do these make you feel?

UK Culture
Some well-known ideas




National consciousness and patriotism Conservatism and reservation-traditions Distinguished gentlemen given noble titles by the Queen Buildings valued for historical significance Country landscape well preserved-trips to the country for weekends-escape city life Small talk is not common in England-trains, buses, etc.
Negative British Stereotypes:



Believe themselves superior Drunken (sometimes violent) behaviour Crude humour (relating to the body) Arrogant and pompous Eat boring food