As moving between cultural worlds has become increasingly frequent, adapting to these different worlds remains challenging. In a hyperconnected yet fragmented world, what role does education for intercultural understanding play? How useful is existing theory in addressing the challenges of people moving between cultural worlds, both by choice and by force?

It is true that much of the theory and research in the field of intercultural education has developed in the context of the US and Europe. This raises a fundamental question: how do these theories and concepts match the needs of multicultural, diverse societies across the world with different worldviews and life experiences?

In this session, Emre Seven and Ishita Ray will share insights about:

• the needs and relevance of education for intercultural understanding based on their experiences of working in Turkey and in India;
• usefulness and challenges of using predominant WEIRD concepts in these contexts, and
• working towards a more inclusive and scientific approach in these contexts.

They will present results from surveys carried out with experts in the field from India, talk about cross-border projects in Turkey and share learnings from their experiences. 

The larger goal of this session is not to divide the field of intercultural education into WEIRD and non-WEIRD theory or approaches. It is to find our shared purpose as educators and practitioners in the field – to exchange insights that help us meet the needs of diverse audiences and contexts.

Speakers:

Ishita Ray is an Educational Consultant and Trainer in Business and Intercultural. From a research degree in learning methodology to 13+ years in the learning chain of academic and corporate organisations, she has navigated a wide range of multilingual and multicultural contexts in India and abroad.

She has formerly worked at Tata Consultancy Services and affiliated colleges of the Delhi University, India where she has designed curriculum and strategy, developed learning content, and conceptualized end-to-end learning programs.

Now an independent learning consultant, she collaborates with corporate and educational institutions across the globe to develop learning resources and curriculum, conduct large-scale train-the-trainer programs, and to publish, and present at international forums.

Emre Seven is a lecturer at Sivas Cumhuriyet University in Turkey. He works at the International Relations Office as the responsible person for Erasmus Mobilities and also as the diversity and inclusion responsible. His field of study and interest is intercultural adjustment and communication, with a focus on cognitive anthropology. Emre is a member of The Deep Culture Podcast team at the Japan Intercultural Institute. He is also a published author, with his book “My Dear Comfort Zone” providing practical advice on intercultural communication and adjustment.

Emre is happily married to Elvina Seven, a Crimean Tatar pianist, and they have one daughter named Elmira