The Journal of Culture, Language and International Security - Winter Issue 2017
From the Editors' Introductory Remarks:
Welcome to the Winter 2017 issue of the Journal of Culture, Language and International Security (JCLIS), "Global Solutions"
This issue emerges days before the change in the Executive Branch administration and the inauguration of the 45th President of the United States. One of the editors lives just downstream of the Potomac and in the shadows of the US Government, where one can witness the potential change to the US role in the world order: cozier relations with some nations and strained and / or severed with others. Traditional treaties may be at risk; globalization effects changing labor and natural resources across developed and developing nations, many whose workforce cannot keep pace with current technology. Terrorism continues to challenge nation-state security in several regions, many ripe with internal conflicts and weakened heads of state, while significant numbers of migrants seek sanctuary from its effects. With this high level of uncertainty in the world and the potential US involvement outside its borders, the need for language proficiency, an array of cross-cultural skill-based competencies and critical knowledge about how cultural systems operate has only intensified. As we enter this new era, the incoming administration’s untested and unpredictable approach to national security and foreign relations drives language and cultural capability requirements even more.
JCLIS is a space where we dialogue freely on the aperture of the possibility in culture and language learning and how best to apply this capability to ensure mission success for any government or non-government organization that deploys their personnel into risk-filled and uncertain cross-cultural complexity. We certainly believe in continuing to prop that aperture wide-open.
This issue’s articles represent the importance of our “space” and mission. We feature five articles that cover the gamut of culture and language learning and application. Our first article by David “Doc” Matsuda is the first of a multi-article series capturing his reflections on approaching and engaging the ground-level intimacy of an Army cultural advisor in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). Our second author, Kurt Muller, draws from his DOD career experiences to explore the benefits of bi- and multilingualism in peacekeeping and stability operations. Drawing on research in the language of “peace” and non-violence, Joy Peyton suggests the benefits of applying this linguistic and cultural frame to military organizations. In the fourth article, returning JCLIS author Dwight Stephens examines the evolutionary development of neural functions and its effect on language learning; the approach provides a fuller understanding how we can teach culture and language better. The last article is from our featured student, Eric Thompson. JCLIS strives to give voice and authorship to students to offer their own perspectives on culture and language as they advance in their academic journey. Many of our past issues have included student articles written by members of Special Operations Forces (SOF) senior enlisted cadre enrolled in Bachelors’ programs. Mr. Thompson utilizes anthropologist Michael Agar’s perspective of cultural markers and rich points to re-examine the period in southern African history where Zimbabwe’s independence was gained in conflict and finally supported by Great Britain from colonial Rhodesia.
We look forward to comment and thoughts from our readers. We continue to encourage the exploration of cultural and linguistic complexity and are always receptive to articles and essays that provide supporting theory in these areas.
Robert Greene Sands and Darby Arakelian, Editors
Comments
I hope they give a full column to appreciating and evaluating the process of "going native".
The greatest challenge to assumptions made by people seeking to universalize cultures through "linguistics" and reduce human boundaries by understanding, often times can not validate they are understanding anything. Because they are not aware of their own bias. Then assume bias is simply opposition to their principles.
I want to know what the long term effects are of putting our armies into a cultural opposite of secular institutions and require they make submission to any and every cultural moray of the host country?
An example of which could be that under the aegis of "Religious Freedom". Bibles are now banned from displays in PXs and other public areas where they were once available for free. One Bible was removed from a POW display at Tobyhanna Army Depot.
I tried to send Christian religious novels per request to some of my buddies in Iraq and they did not get one of them. We could not display crosses etc.,.
Curiosity, what is the long or short term effect of living in a country where you are constantly aware that you must demonstrate cultural submission to Islam?
Ona fun note maybe they can explain why a USMC general would ban "Hoo-Aahs"? Let alone prayer huddles?