|
2. Identify the value-positions at stake - deeper analyze of the case
Going back to the specific case, I would like to talk about Prof. Fouad Allam’s concept of “identità dilluita dell’immigrato”. Even though it is a concept he applied to explain and better understand the nowadays Islamic situation, I consider it is a universal term that can also be applied in other religious critical situations. It is a concept that called very much my attention as it seems to explain clearly the process of mutation of the cultural identity endured by immigrants. It is true that the fact of being established in a host country it will tailor and finally change the immigrant’s original identity together with all his/her beliefs, a way of socializing, a vision of his/her own past and future, and general vision of the world. Dilution meaning a substantial change in the immigrant’s original identity.
So, In the case of the Jewish community in Mexico, they would represent our national best example of the “diluted immigrant”, they have adapted to a Mexican reality, they have also shaped our Mexican history, and they want to be taken into consideration, to be recognized in their constructive role within the Mexican society. But at the same time, and it seems fair to me, they also want to keep their traditions, both at the religious and cultural level.
Therefore, in some delicate situations, such as in mixed religion marriages, this immigrant phenomenon could represent a critical encounter or cultural shock for the slightest or biggest cultural differences. This immigrant notion will also represent a constitutive relationship with his/her religiosity directly linked with his/her natural evolution of his identity, and a strong feeling to respect his/her religion might appear.
Thus, from my own point of view, both Teresa and her children have been in a constant encounter with their relatives who endured both the process of “identità dilluita” and “deficit di cittadinanza”, creating a tense familiar situation. For the first concept, Prof. Allam takes also into consideration the family conflicts emerging between one generation and the other, together with the unwilling contamination of their own identity. For instance, it might be the case of the Jewish family celebration when at the end of every year Teresa and her two little children have to face some problems in regard to understand to which religious traditions they have to belong despite the fact they are supposed to have chosen the Jewish religion. Unfortunately for them, during the Jewish family celebrations, their Jewish grandmother did not consider Teresa’s children as part of the delivery of Hanukah gifts, as the ones given to their cousins from both mother and father Jewish origin; while in the Catholic celebrations at Teresa’s mother they were not allowed by their father to be given gifts with a “Christmas significance”.
Consequently, this atmosphere created a religious confusion in the children’s mind and identity. This example might probably seem superficial as we are talking about material things like “gifts”, but I consider that there are some key religious celebrations such as Hanukah and Christmas which are useful to shape and build the religious identity of a person from a very young age.
At this point, I consider that Jorge’s relatives wondered if Teresa’s interest to convert into the Jewish religion was authentic, or if she just decided to carry out this religious conversion for love and be able to marry Jorge. It might probably be a reason why they behave like this with all of them. But what it is true is that the close relationship of both religions wandering in the everyday life of this family created uncertainty, tension and confusion at the level of faith and correct religious institution to follow, as belonging to one of them represented for them a critical cultural value to solve.
Then, in order to better understand the behaviour of Jorge’s mother and her role as a grandmother of children in an inter-religious/inter-ethnical situation, I would also like to analyze her from some other points of view, as proposed by Prof. Flavia Monceri:
Taking into consideration that one of the main reasons of intercultural incidents originates in the concept of “ethnocentric impulse”: to consider every single human being behaves the way we do. It could be said that the grandmother’s possible attitude of respect towards “the other”, reacted in a mistaken way due to this natural “ethnocentric impulses”. Probably, she did not know how to handle this new situation and decided to ignore the children during the Jewish family celebrations to avoid possible misunderstandings, as she was aware of the double religion position her grandsons were in contact with.
So, a positive exercise for the grandmother to improve her relationship with these kids would be to meet them frequently, so that she can get a closer and more understandable approach of “the other”.
Besides, according to the teachings by Prof. Flavia Monceri, one should also be aware or ready to discover patiently when in an inter-religious or intercultural encounter, a possible illogical ideology to understand, with values and conceptions of life opposite to our usual way of reasoning. This situation could also be a key element to accomplish a respectful intercultural communication.
Do'stlaringiz bilan baham: |
