Abstract:

“Diversity” is a complex concept that combines both uniqueness and recognition of differences. A child’s interactions with family members can inevitably shape their perception and judgment of the self and others. Being children’s first and most important teachers families are developing the younger generation’s cultural sensitivity, awareness and appreciation of diverse beliefs and cultures.

The research is aimed at examining how interactions and value- and belief-sharing among family members influence young people’s receptiveness to heterogeneity. The study focuses on the impact of family as an informal channel of transmission of knowledge on young people’ perception of belonging, inclusion and diversity. Family lifestyle, traditions and cultural orientation (monoculturalism vs. multiculturalism) are analysed to determine young people’s attitudes towards racial, ethnic, religious, and cultural diversity and the ways of creating more inclusive identities.

In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with representatives of three (in exceptional cases – two) generations from 10 families in the period from September 2019 until January 2020, covering 34 individual family members (12 young people; 11 people from the middle generation; and 11 people from the older generation). The research took place in the south-eastern region of Latvia – Latgale. Families represent geographical differences (urban, rural, semi-urban), various degrees of openness to inter-group communication, and heterogeneous socio-demographic variability.

The case study demonstrates that a family as an environment and context for intercultural communication ensures that the forms and dynamics of inter-generational communication function as a factor in young people’s cultural knowledge, socialisation, and cultural literacy. Young people perceive the family as an environment, in which understanding of universal human and Christian values and the sense of belonging to the cultural space of Latvia, Europe and the world have been accumulated over the years. The majority of the interviewees believe that the cultures and languages of other nations expand an individual’s worldview and are to be respected based on the universal human rights and values such as freedom, equality, and peace. The representatives of mixed families are more open towards inclusiveness; a higher level of receptiveness, especially of racial and religious diversity, is observed among the younger generation. The interview data reveal that a peaceful coexistence of people living in the multi-national and multi-religious border-zone of Latvia is highlighted.

Acknowledgement:
The research has been carried out in the framework of the project “Cultural Heritage and Identities of Europe’s Future (CHIEF) supported by the EU.

Keywords:

Family interaction, intergenerational dialogue, cultural diversity, multiculturalism, cultural competence.