Culture and Conflict
Culture has a huge impact on conflict in family relationships. In my work with couples and families, I have seen issues of culture play a large role in how parties interact and communicate.
Within a marriage context, culture can often divide a couple when it comes to issues of extended family. Many cultures expect the oldest son (and his wife and children) to live with his parents. Sometimes this can cause incredible strain on a marriage, especially if the wife has a different cultural background.
In families dealing with the issues of elderly parents, cultural norms and expectations can cause extra stress on the parents and siblings. Who is supposed to care for an elderly mother when the father has passed away? Is it acceptable to place Mom in an assisted living facility if she is supposed to live with extended family? What if caring for Mom has become too stressful for family members and extra care is necessary? All of these issues must be viewed through a cultural lens.
How can these issues be resolved taking into account the family’s cultural background? Mediation affords couples and families an opportunity to discuss these issues and come to resolution. The court system does not look at culture and how it affects conflict in relationships. Working with a mediator gives the parties a chance to talk through these issues and reach agreements that take into consideration the family’s cultural background.
