Exercise #25
MultiCultiMed Cafe — Principles of Ethics in Multiculturalism
Authors: Magdalena Kuczyńska
90
Description
An interactive ethics exercise inviting students to match real-world multicultural case scenarios to the moral norms that most strongly apply in each situation.
Methodological Guide
Objectives
Main Educational Objective: To foster the internalization of moral norms related to multiculturalism through their conscious integration into the individual's axiological framework.
Specific Learning Outcomes:
- Encourage critical reflection on morally sensitive situations arising within multicultural contexts.
- Promote analytical engagement with moral norms in multicultural environments, emphasizing their practical application in interpersonal relations.
- Stimulate intrinsic motivation to consciously implement moral norms in multicultural interactions.
- Develop the capacity to adapt general models of multicultural relations—grounded in moral norms—to professional settings, particularly within healthcare environments.
Specific Learning Outcomes:
- Encourage critical reflection on morally sensitive situations arising within multicultural contexts.
- Promote analytical engagement with moral norms in multicultural environments, emphasizing their practical application in interpersonal relations.
- Stimulate intrinsic motivation to consciously implement moral norms in multicultural interactions.
- Develop the capacity to adapt general models of multicultural relations—grounded in moral norms—to professional settings, particularly within healthcare environments.
Expected Outcomes
Upon completion of the exercise, students should be able to:
- Recognize the necessity of adhering to specific moral norms within the multicultural relationships that surround them.
- Identify, interpret, and apply moral norms and principles that govern multicultural spaces.
- Anticipate the negative consequences of violating moral norms in multicultural interactions.
- Build relationships with patients and colleagues based on cultural competencies that promote the observance of moral norms.
- Recognize the necessity of adhering to specific moral norms within the multicultural relationships that surround them.
- Identify, interpret, and apply moral norms and principles that govern multicultural spaces.
- Anticipate the negative consequences of violating moral norms in multicultural interactions.
- Build relationships with patients and colleagues based on cultural competencies that promote the observance of moral norms.
Exercise Procedure
1. Divide into five small subgroups.
2. Read the five case descriptions and the five ethical norms.
3. In your subgroup, match each case with the moral norm that most strongly calls for application in that scenario.
4. Check your answers together and discuss why each norm fits its paired case.
5. Reflect: Which case felt most challenging? Which norm seems hardest to apply in practice?
2. Read the five case descriptions and the five ethical norms.
3. In your subgroup, match each case with the moral norm that most strongly calls for application in that scenario.
4. Check your answers together and discuss why each norm fits its paired case.
5. Reflect: Which case felt most challenging? Which norm seems hardest to apply in practice?
Mode of Implementation
Level 1 – Small Group Work: Students engage in collaborative tasks within subgroups.
Level 2 – Small Group Work with Modified World Café Method: Students participate in structured discussions using an adapted version of the World Café technique to explore multicultural ethical dilemmas.
Summary – Task Summary and Collective Reflection: Students synthesize group outcomes and jointly formulate conclusions to support individual work on personal biases.
Level 2 – Small Group Work with Modified World Café Method: Students participate in structured discussions using an adapted version of the World Café technique to explore multicultural ethical dilemmas.
Summary – Task Summary and Collective Reflection: Students synthesize group outcomes and jointly formulate conclusions to support individual work on personal biases.
Role of the Teacher
Group Facilitator – encourages openness and active participation during group discussions. Guide/Mentor – oversees the correct execution of the exercise (matching moral norms with case descriptions). When errors are found, does not give answers but uses guiding questions to help students rethink their work.
Theoretical Basis
The exercise is grounded in the principles of transformative learning:
- Disorienting Dilemma: The student is confronted with a challenge to their existing axiological worldview, prompted by the demands of diverse multicultural interactions.
- Critical Reflection: The student engages in thoughtful examination of the content and practical implications of specific moral norms that govern multicultural relationships.
- Dialogue and Action: Through small-group collaboration, students participate in collective discussions that deepen their interpretation of selected moral norms within broadly understood multicultural relations, with particular emphasis on the medical environment.
- Disorienting Dilemma: The student is confronted with a challenge to their existing axiological worldview, prompted by the demands of diverse multicultural interactions.
- Critical Reflection: The student engages in thoughtful examination of the content and practical implications of specific moral norms that govern multicultural relationships.
- Dialogue and Action: Through small-group collaboration, students participate in collective discussions that deepen their interpretation of selected moral norms within broadly understood multicultural relations, with particular emphasis on the medical environment.
Practical Application
Through a three-stage process of internalizing moral norms (awareness, understanding, identification), the student progresses from moral reflection to action aligned with the values and principles inherent in multicultural relationships.
Knowledge Transfer
By analyzing selected case scenarios, the student gives substantive meaning to the moral norms identified within them by naming the relevant norms, demonstrating their validity within a specific situational context, and anticipating the implications of applying or violating a given norm in a multicultural relationship.
The moral competencies acquired by students in relation to multicultural environments may be applied in professional interactions within the field of medicine.
The moral competencies acquired by students in relation to multicultural environments may be applied in professional interactions within the field of medicine.
Reinforcement & Reflection
Reflection on the meaning and application of specific moral norms within culturally diverse environments. Independent student work conducted outside the university setting, focused on alternative scenarios embedded in the context of cultural diversity (e.g., film, literature, social media), which call for the application of specific moral principles.
Required Resources
Electronic devices such as tablets, smartphones, or laptops enabling access to the MultiCultiMed Platform. Internet connection for accessing the exercise on the platform. Pre-prepared exercise on the MultiCultiMed Platform, consisting of two components: a case study and a list of moral norms.
Assessment / Evaluation
Encourage students to reflect on the material they explored during the session.
- Do I perceive any of the case descriptions as particularly difficult for me (a situation I would not want to find myself in)?
- Does any of the moral norms presented during the session appear particularly demanding to me?
- If so, can I explain why — what makes this norm difficult for me?
- Do I perceive any of the case descriptions as particularly difficult for me (a situation I would not want to find myself in)?
- Does any of the moral norms presented during the session appear particularly demanding to me?
- If so, can I explain why — what makes this norm difficult for me?
Practical Tips
Create a safe and respectful space — this is essential to encourage students to engage in honest reflection and openness. Pay particular attention to the culture of spoken and written language. Do not judge students' views or impose your own opinions — allow them to confront their reflections with one another.
Discussion Topics
Proposed actions to promote moral norms that support safe intercultural dialogue in medical settings. Multicultural dilemmas in medicine – searching for a 'golden mean' in their resolution.
Stage 2 — Ethics café discussion
After the matching task, your subgroup takes one of the five ethical norms and reflects on it beyond the original case. Generalize it to multicultural relations, including the medical setting. Work through the two prompts below — the first focuses on understanding the norm; the second on its consequences and practical application with patients.
- Understanding the norm — analysis and competencies
- Consequences and medical application — group conclusions
Stage 2 — Ethics café discussion
After the matching task, your subgroup takes one of the five ethical norms and reflects on it beyond the original case. Generalize it to multicultural relations, including the medical setting. Work through the two prompts below — the first focuses on understanding the norm; the second on its consequences and practical application with patients.
- Understanding the norm — analysis and competencies
- Consequences and medical application — group conclusions
Further Resources
Individual Assignment – Cultural Diversity and Moral Norms in Practice: Over the coming week, identify a current article from the press or media that presents a situation or event related to cultural diversity, ideally concerning the medical or healthcare environment. Analyze it in terms of the moral norms that were — or should have been — considered.
Suggested reading:
1. Explore Different Cultures in 4 Short Films | 2023 PBS Short Film Festival. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqNzfRaKw9g
2. Zahedi F., Larijani B.: Common Principles and Multiculturalism. J Med Ethics Hist Med. 2009;2:6.
3. Fernandez S.B., Ahmad A., et al: How patients experience respect in healthcare. BMC Med Ethics. 2024;25(1):39.
Suggested reading:
1. Explore Different Cultures in 4 Short Films | 2023 PBS Short Film Festival. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqNzfRaKw9g
2. Zahedi F., Larijani B.: Common Principles and Multiculturalism. J Med Ethics Hist Med. 2009;2:6.
3. Fernandez S.B., Ahmad A., et al: How patients experience respect in healthcare. BMC Med Ethics. 2024;25(1):39.
Additional Remarks
Direct students' attention to perceiving cultural diversity not only in terms of ethnic origin, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity, but also in relation to aspects such as linguistic diversity, social norms (within the boundaries of cultural tolerance), behavioral patterns, and social status. Broadly understood multiculturalism also includes relationships with individuals incarcerated in correctional facilities.