Although Dartmouth brings people of different religions, colors, languages and cultures together, we, the student body, sacrifice the potential benefits of such a diverse campus by segregating ourselves into exclusive groups.
As an international student coming from Sweden, I know what it feels like to be an "exception to the rule." I often feel left out, and sometimes wish I had a "Nordic club" to turn to, just to feel a bit more at home.
Furthermore, I can understand why not all people are willing to compromise their identity and beliefs by involving themselves in cross-cultural activities; seeing the world from someone else's perspective will inevitably challenge the way you think, and can be extremely frustrating. Questioning your perception of yourself, your place in society and the people around you ultimately requires some effort.
But challenging ourselves and questioning what we know is exactly what college is all about. How can we claim to have received a full education if we've never allowed our fundamental assumptions to be tested?
The Dartmouth website claims that "the College provides a range of programs and support services to create a more inclusive climate and foster cross-cultural understanding."
However, it remains unclear to me how effective these programs really are when many of them fail to attract members from different backgrounds; I often think about going to various minority group meetings, but knowing that I will probably be the only white or European person present, I always feel too intimidated. Likewise, I've heard from American friends how uncomfortable they've felt walking into international dinners with me.
Responsibility for such an exclusive climate of self-segregation lies with both the overall student body and Dartmouth's cultural groups: While students must overcome their fear of exploring something different, cultural groups must work harder to open up to a more diverse crowd.
It's true that activist groups such as Dartmouth Coalition for Health, Amnesty International and Student World Assembly do a good job of focusing on various parts of the world and attracting members of different backgrounds. But such groups mainly highlight conflicts, poverty, famine, etc., to the exclusion of the more positive aspects of the cultures and nations in question. We need to be exposed to the richness of other cultures if we are to view their members as fellow beings rather than as victims. By focusing solely on negative aspects of other societies, an "us and them" phenomenon emerges. The College would benefit from creating "cultural days" or awareness weeks in cooperation with existing cultural groups, in which students would be introduced to other cultures and minorities from a positive angle.
International Student Association is one example of an organization that attempts to educate students about the richness and positive aspects of other cultures and countries. However, even ISA fails to attract members who do not fit into its international niche. This is particularly unfortunate as international students are accepted to Dartmouth partly to increase the diversity and cultural awareness of the student population as a whole. International students are the best resource we have on campus to increase cultural awareness, but it is hard for them to do so when segregated from Americans. Again, both international students and Americans are responsible for this divide.
To overcome the system of self-segregation, we need to work together and create groups based on interests rather than prescribed labels. The Dartmouth Argentine Tango Society, Vandana, La Casa and other language houses are successful examples of interest groups with great diversity among their members. ISA's annual international show "Kaleidoscope" and other cultural workshops are other good examples of efforts to increase cross-cultural awareness on campus.
We must work to create more open discussion forums where each cultural group's voice is heard by the rest of campus. These forums should not only be open to all students, but also be organized by a diverse group, in order to foster an inclusive environment.
Ultimately, though, we need to define ourselves according to our interests and not let our own cultural group prevent us from learning about others. Personally, I know that I need to overcome my fear of attending cultural and minority meetings, and I hope that these groups are willing to welcome me with open arms as well.
