IISES International Academic Conference, London

TEACHING WITHOUT BORDERS: EMBRACING CULTURAL COMPLEXITY AND MOVING BEYOND HOFSTEDE IN THE CLASSROOM

RENI BUNEVA

Abstract:

Geert Hofstede’s cultural-dimensions model has long served as a foundational tool for interpreting cross-cultural differences in organizational and educational settings. However, its six static dimensions—derived from corporate surveys—risk oversimplifying the fluid and intersectional nature of culture within today’s diverse classrooms. This article critically reevaluates the framework’s applicability to teacher training, curriculum development, and educational leadership, exposing methodological and theoretical limitations that foster stereotypes and obscure intra-national and identity-based variation. Drawing on contemporary scholarship (Ng, 2021; Bennett, 2016) and complementary perspectives (Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 2012; Norton, 2015), an alternative model of critical intercultural pedagogy is proposed. Key components include qualitative, ethnographic inquiry into students’ lived experiences; dialogic, co-learning environments; intersectional analyses of overlapping identities; and critical media literacy to contest dominant cultural narratives. By replacing rigid cultural rankings with dynamic, context-sensitive approaches, this pedagogy seeks to cultivate genuine intercultural competence, promote inclusivity, and prepare learners for meaningful engagement in an increasingly interconnected world.

Keywords: Intercultural Education; Critical Intercultural Pedagogy; Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions; Culturally Responsive Teaching; Global Citizenship Education; Teacher Education; Curriculum Development; Cultural Stereotyping; Cultural Competence;