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When Castro returns to university from the fieldwork, he reflects the experience gained in the field to the education of students. Although majoring in anthropology, there are many students who are convinced that there is no other way for them but to become teachers or curators after graduation. Castro tells the students a story about how the cultural understanding plays important role in the overseas expansion of multinational companies and this brightens their eyes. Anthropology and intercultural communication can be practical academic subjects to come in handy in the real world.
"Intercultural communication is a learning across a number of disciplines. Mass communication, anthropology, sociology. Because sometimes a collision occurs between one culture and another culture, political science is also related. Intercultural communication is exactly a discipline connecting specialized areas, and that is why I think it has a future.
The human race really needs a lot of communication. We talk a lot, and we also use body language. However, the message is not necessarily understood by the other party. This is because we do not understand each other's cultural context. Culture and communication are inseparable. Many of the problems that are happening in society are due to lack of communication. To understand different cultures, and to establish communication with intercultural dialogue, is what can be effective means to solve the world's problems."
With the development of the Internet, we got the means to be able to do exchange in real time with people around the world. However, there still exist cultural differences among different countries and regions, and ethnic groups and sects. And exactly because now we are able to easily interact, learn what culture is, problems will occur unless we don’t increase our sensitivity to different cultures.
As Castro points out, even if we understand what the other person says, if we do not know his or her cultural background, it is the same as if we haven’t understood at all. We can say that the education for intercultural understanding promoted by the Kanda Gaigo Group is increasingly important exactly now when the globalization of the society is advancing rapidly.(4/4)
Nestor Castro
Born in 1959 in Pasig City, the Philippines. Began his interest in culture when he received an 18th century coin from a friend in the elementary school, and continued on the road towards cultural anthropology. Received his PhD from the University of the Philippines Department of Anthropology. Then continued to teach in the same faculty, and was appointed Chairman in August 2010. Specializes in cultural anthropology and carries out research on themes such as ethnic relations and indigenous issues, also conducts research in the northern mountainous area of the Philippines, Southeast Asia and Micronesia. Currently he also serves as President of the International Federation of Social Science Organizations (IFSSO).