Trainers and ICC

Earlier, I have introduced my hesitations about definitions of ICC (Intercultural Competence) so far available (see, among more, here).

Interestingly, my continuous web-browsing has come up with a truly inspiring paper read at the SonLife International Forum (Elburn, Illinois, June 1998) by the Reverend David A. Livermore: Intercultural Competency, or: a Look at the Relationship between Learning and Culture and the Competences needed in the Cross-Cultural Training Session.

In this paper, Livermore first identifies what he calls the Social Construct of Adult Learning, from which he dissects three parameters, viz. the personal context, the organisational context, and the national context.

Then, for any ICC trainer, the author defines ICC as:

the ability to facilitate learning in the cognitive, affective and behavioral domains among learners from cultures different from the one of the trainer.

And what exactly are these ICCs, then?

Here, Livermore not only deconstructs the Intercultural Competence along the standard threefold axis of SKA (Skills, Knowledge and Attitudes), but, remarkably (it being so rarely done!), adds Ethical Behavior as a fourth vector.

A truly remarkable paper indeed, this Livermore paper. Simple and straighforward it might very well be, and most certainly there remains an awful lot to be added and finetuned, but this honestly is the first time I have come across an article which, from afar, seems to suggest an outline such as the one that Dunya is currently rolling out.

InshaAllah!

Francis Laleman