European identity(ies) and cultural diversity(ies): students’ perceptions

Abstract

The urgency of developing a social and cultural awareness for a global, multilingual identity, but respectful of cultural diversities, presupposes a reflection on the updating of concepts, criteria and cultural paradigms. Communities are expected to create responses to emerging obstacles and difficulties, in which communication is seen as a key to building an active/intercultural citizenship. In an attitude of cooperation, protection and promotion of cultural diversity(ies), exchanges are valued in an attitude of freedom of expression, acceptance of multilingualism, access to artistic expressions, scientific and technological knowledge. The English language is analysed as a language of interface and effective interaction. Knowledge sharing experiences (students in academic mobility and visiting professors) should contribute to the development of personal and intellectual training and allow the construction of an identity consciousness and be a means of facilitating integration/inclusion. Thus, we set out to understand what value higher education students attach to the knowledge of a foreign language, what relationship they establish with this ease of communication, in addition to understanding their identity(ies) over the cultural diversity(ies) in this global village. As a data collection instrument, we used the questionnaire survey, applied to students from an HEI. Among the conclusions, there is the attribution of positive points to the experiences in the classroom context, despite the communication difficulties, the appreciation of the knowledge of national and international/european social behaviours, as well as the awareness of the diversity(ies) cultural and the need to respect all local/regional and national cultural and heritage expressions.