Why is Asia Handling COVID-19 Better Than the Rest of the Globe?
Intercultural communication patterns can help explain how a society responds to crisis
Every first-year American University student at the School of International Service is required to take the course Cross-Cultural Communication. Although the course name has changed over the years, the requirement has stayed consistent. The idea is that any student interested in an international career should have a substantive foundation about different cultural communication patterns.
Now on track to get my Ph.D., few classes have transformed the way I think as much as Cross-Cultural Communication. I cannot help but look at the concepts I learned years ago for answers as the ongoing crisis unfolds.
While the world is mobilizing how to fight this novel virus, a major question on people’s minds is “why are some countries succeeding in flattening the curve while others are battling seemingly uncontrollable outbreaks?” Analysts talk about the authoritarian Chinese regime’s ability to mobilize faster than democratic institutions, in addition to lessons learned from SARS. Others point to varying degrees of infrastructure and technology to explain the disparities in responses. Some critics point out poor leadership hindering productive results in…
