Intercultural Understanding via Caricatures

Fewzia Bedjaoui (Université de Sidi Bel Abbes, Algerie)

Email: fewzia_bed@hotmail.com

 

ABSTRACT:

A sense of humour, i.e. a continual play with the boundary between what is acceptable and unacceptable, is a fundamental skill that needs to be cultivated. Related to the subject to be taught, caricatures can convey a non-threatening message about learning to students. Like any other teaching strategy, caricatures could be used in order both to surprise and delight, having in mind that a cultural misinterpretation is a non-threatening way to greater self- understanding. For some, that message may also be better memorized and easily understood than it might in a linguistic form. Besides, it may be a crucial tool for strengthening intercultural bonds towards humanity, tolerance and flexibility. But one needs cultural filters not to hurt the feelings of other people and at the expense of other cultures. Appreciating caricatures of another culture can provoke a kind of empathy for that culture and help an outsider to identify with it and achieve intercultural communication.