Job Discussion Forums

[gaijinalways]

Generalizing about a culture or cultural phenomenon is not necessarily stereotyping. Stereotyping is a negative when one thinks that ALL people of "Category X" are _______ and it is something that will never change. Its generalizing in the extreme. Sometimes the line between generalizing and stereotyping is fine and/or blurry.


True, I agree with that. Generalizations are just that, generalizations. They just make it easier to state some opinions, but these problems are common problems I have found with all the teachers in Japan with Japanese students (and Chinese students).

[thelmadatter]

While I did state that the line between generalizing and stereotyping can be blurry sometimes... that does not mean that one should consider ALL generalizations as stereotyping. That's trying to make a gray world black-and-white.

Generalizations/stereotyping become a problem when the purpose or goal is to demean another group of people. I did not see that with Jizzo's post. I saw frustration.

But the basic advice is sound... couple one or more strategies to make students more involved into what is going on along with a swift boot to those who disrepect their fellow peers. May not work magically overnight, but it will work.