Cultural differences stand to universalities as practice stands to theory: comments on Rober and de Haene

Abstract

Comments on the original article by Peter Rober & Lucia De Haene (see record 2014-13242-002). Rober and De Haene note the limits, even regressive effects, of using the framework of cultural competence and the importance of recognising universalities in human nature. In their article, Rober and De Haene propose a view of intercultural family therapy in which the unresolvable dialectical tension between differences and universalities is central. Rober and De Haene remind us of the complexity of the issues. But, note the current author, with complexity also comes a requirement to be clear about how we talk about it. Rober and De Haene use the terms ‘shared humanity’, ‘human being’, ‘universality’ and ‘the universal’. The present author thinks that this calls for clarification.