Ethnicity as a Fault Line

 I chose to reflect on ethnicity in relation to the leadership across differences framework. I thought about ethnicity and how it could be a fault line. Ethnicity, “shared cultural characteristics such as language, ancestry, practices and beliefs” (American Psychological Association, 2020, p.142-145), is something that is frequently used by people to identify or differentiate themselves or others. Fault lines are “dynamics of multiple demographic attributes that can potentially subdivide a group” (Hannum et al., 2010, p. 14). A group can then be divided into smaller groups based on ethnicity with one ethnic group being the in-group, typically the group in the majority, and another, the minority, the out-group. Tensions arise between these groups because one group is perceived to be favored or has more power than the other where (Hannum et al., 2010).

Something stood out to me at the organic farm which at the time I did not think much of. I do not speak French, but I am able to know when it is being spoken. I noted that French was used when Dr. Navarro and Hamid were helping to clarify or translate some ideas. Dr. Fettouma Ben Abdenabi used French from how I heard things when she did not know the English word or phrase. At the time particular time I was under the impression that Dr. Ben Abdenabi was ethnically French.

On Tuesday, a discussion took place where colonialism and its effects on colonized countries took place. It was very clear that France is not well regarded because of its activities in countries it colonized such as Morocco.

Incidents, from minor incursions to extreme cases of violence like ethnic cleansing and civil wars, have taken place throughout history. A good example of such incidents are cases of xenophobia that frequently happen in South Africa where Black South Africans attack immigrants from other African countries, to chase them out of the country because of purported purportedly taking opportunities from them as well as being responsible for increase in crime. Property and, at times, lives, are lost.  Such incidents illustrate the Leadership Across Frameworks well. South Africa has massive income inequality along racial lines, and unresolved racial tensions from apartheid era, and immigration from other African nations with people seeking economic opportunities. Most of the poverty in the country is among Black South Africans.  With such an environment, any incident at an organization between the groups, however insignificant, easily spills over to society because there is high tension (Hannum et al., 2010). A comment, a fight or a misunderstanding will trigger xenophobic incidents such as those that were recently witnessed in April this year: https://youtu.be/T186Yy4rl0M.

Although Morocco appears to be very welcoming country, I thought that there is possibility for a spillover if an organization has French-Morocco in-group/out-groups where there might be tensions over the two countries colonial history is a touchy subject.