For western society, both India and Colombia are considered exotic, bright, strange places with colorful cultures and odd behavior.
But there is more these countries relate about when we look closely in the vast spectrum of culture.
In this post, I am going to compare India's and Colombia's cultures, look for our differences and similarities, stereotypes and other features that would make intercultural communication between these two countries easier.
To achieve that we are going to look into some specific subjects on these countries' social and cultural structures but first, let's get to know them:
Colombia is located in the north-western corner of the South American continent. Home of almost 49.8 Million people, the world'st best coffee and Shakira, and according to The CIA World Factbook, the world's 26th biggest country (2017). India, on the other hand, is ranked number 7, housing almost 1.3 Billion people, being the second most populated country in the world.
The first subject I would like to analyze is its most famous icons and its repercussion on the country's society. How this portrayal of Colombian and Indian Icons impacts the rest of the population?
In India, just like in Colombia we can find many popular figures that can be set as a good example of and for its people like singer/songwriter and businesswoman, Shakira, who's unlying hips and bright talent spread joy through hundred of stages all over the world. Or actor and dancer Salam Khan, who according to Forbes Magazine, is the most famous Indian artist, whose work helped build and popularize the Bollywood genre in the late 90s. Even though these portrayals can be seen as positive or harmless they fuel many stereotypes (such as whoever knows a Colombian girl ask her to dance like Shakira or assuming that every Indian girl is being forced into marriage just like in Bollywood movies), that can be annoying but can be easily shaken away.
But when it comes to popular icons with more than questionable behaviors and legacies, the stereotypes they bring into the world can affect our realities in more than one way.
Take, for example, narco lord Pablo Escobar, born and raised in Medellín, brought the country on of its darkest eras. Escobar became a legend for his crimes and surprisingly, his lifestyle.
Full of money, new cars, beautiful women and apparently no job, this fantasy became the inspiration of many branches of the entertainment business from books, to television shows and even realities. Since this particular theme doesn't test well Colombianbian audiences they are sold to and consumed by the international public. These shows contents vary from historical and biographical (from Escobar and his crew) to modern fiction, and mostly includes lots of explicit material and could not be more unrelated to the countries reality.
This recent and constant exploitation of Colombia's historical memory caused the international community to react by restricting Colombian's transit all over the world making it harder for it population to travel, buy property or get a job aboard. Immigration laws directed to Colombian people from international agents have increased and tighten their measures since the early 2000s.
Something similar happens with one of the most famous Indian Icons Mohandas Gandhi. Although his legacy its to be considered one full of peace and freedom for its people, his doctrines and moral lessons helped India to become one of the most sexually repressed nations on earth and by far known as a dreadful place to be a woman. Even today, his misogynistic views make millions of lives miserable. And through in the most modern areas of the country women have been granted certain basic human rights, in a place that holds tight onto tradition Gandhi's influence is still strong. Take this episode as an example: During Gandhi's time in South Africa, he discovered that one of his female followers was harassed by a young man. Gandhi reacted by personally cutting the girl's hair to make sure to "protect and sterilize" the "sinner's eyes". He bragged about his response to the incident in his writings, pushing the message that women should carry responsibility for sexual attacks upon them. This message still lingers on India's society. In the summer of 2009, many universities in the north region of the country reacted to sexual harassment cases on campus by banning women from wearing jeans (as western-style clothes were too provocative for males) and some of them even released their own dress code manuals directed to the female population only.
This is just one of the many incidents where Gandhi's actions cemented misogynistic attitudes that have prevailed for generations. According to the World Economic Forum, India finds itself at the very bottom of the gender inequality index, and activists have been fighting against honor killings, female foeticide and abandonment of new-born girls for many decades. The international community intervention of this matter is almost non-existent since Gandhi is still considered by them a figure of liberation and kindness. This portrayal though benevolent ended up being really harmful inside Indian's society since no one tried to go deeper on Gandhi's incidence on India's culture.
But there is more these countries relate about when we look closely in the vast spectrum of culture.
In this post, I am going to compare India's and Colombia's cultures, look for our differences and similarities, stereotypes and other features that would make intercultural communication between these two countries easier.
To achieve that we are going to look into some specific subjects on these countries' social and cultural structures but first, let's get to know them:
Colombia is located in the north-western corner of the South American continent. Home of almost 49.8 Million people, the world'st best coffee and Shakira, and according to The CIA World Factbook, the world's 26th biggest country (2017). India, on the other hand, is ranked number 7, housing almost 1.3 Billion people, being the second most populated country in the world.
The first subject I would like to analyze is its most famous icons and its repercussion on the country's society. How this portrayal of Colombian and Indian Icons impacts the rest of the population?
In India, just like in Colombia we can find many popular figures that can be set as a good example of and for its people like singer/songwriter and businesswoman, Shakira, who's unlying hips and bright talent spread joy through hundred of stages all over the world. Or actor and dancer Salam Khan, who according to Forbes Magazine, is the most famous Indian artist, whose work helped build and popularize the Bollywood genre in the late 90s. Even though these portrayals can be seen as positive or harmless they fuel many stereotypes (such as whoever knows a Colombian girl ask her to dance like Shakira or assuming that every Indian girl is being forced into marriage just like in Bollywood movies), that can be annoying but can be easily shaken away.
But when it comes to popular icons with more than questionable behaviors and legacies, the stereotypes they bring into the world can affect our realities in more than one way.
Take, for example, narco lord Pablo Escobar, born and raised in Medellín, brought the country on of its darkest eras. Escobar became a legend for his crimes and surprisingly, his lifestyle.
Full of money, new cars, beautiful women and apparently no job, this fantasy became the inspiration of many branches of the entertainment business from books, to television shows and even realities. Since this particular theme doesn't test well Colombianbian audiences they are sold to and consumed by the international public. These shows contents vary from historical and biographical (from Escobar and his crew) to modern fiction, and mostly includes lots of explicit material and could not be more unrelated to the countries reality.
This recent and constant exploitation of Colombia's historical memory caused the international community to react by restricting Colombian's transit all over the world making it harder for it population to travel, buy property or get a job aboard. Immigration laws directed to Colombian people from international agents have increased and tighten their measures since the early 2000s.
Something similar happens with one of the most famous Indian Icons Mohandas Gandhi. Although his legacy its to be considered one full of peace and freedom for its people, his doctrines and moral lessons helped India to become one of the most sexually repressed nations on earth and by far known as a dreadful place to be a woman. Even today, his misogynistic views make millions of lives miserable. And through in the most modern areas of the country women have been granted certain basic human rights, in a place that holds tight onto tradition Gandhi's influence is still strong. Take this episode as an example: During Gandhi's time in South Africa, he discovered that one of his female followers was harassed by a young man. Gandhi reacted by personally cutting the girl's hair to make sure to "protect and sterilize" the "sinner's eyes". He bragged about his response to the incident in his writings, pushing the message that women should carry responsibility for sexual attacks upon them. This message still lingers on India's society. In the summer of 2009, many universities in the north region of the country reacted to sexual harassment cases on campus by banning women from wearing jeans (as western-style clothes were too provocative for males) and some of them even released their own dress code manuals directed to the female population only.
This is just one of the many incidents where Gandhi's actions cemented misogynistic attitudes that have prevailed for generations. According to the World Economic Forum, India finds itself at the very bottom of the gender inequality index, and activists have been fighting against honor killings, female foeticide and abandonment of new-born girls for many decades. The international community intervention of this matter is almost non-existent since Gandhi is still considered by them a figure of liberation and kindness. This portrayal though benevolent ended up being really harmful inside Indian's society since no one tried to go deeper on Gandhi's incidence on India's culture.
Comentarios
Publicar un comentario