LIVING MULTICULTURALLY IN A MULTI-LINGUISTIC ORGANIZATION: A CASE STUDY OF MAP FOUNDATION

Abstract

This study is grounded in observations and experience during enrollment in the 4-month Cooperative Education course with MAP Foundation to shed light on an academic-theoretical interpretation of a multi-cultural and multi-lingual work environment. To unearth a solution for how to work together without assimilation or subsumption of identities, the focal point was set on language (multi-lingual) according to Chantal Mouffe’s philosophical concept of “Agonistic Politics”. It was seen that Mouffe’s philosophy could strongly contribute to this research systematically and progressively. From observation, it could be seen that the organization has an organizational culture that refused the use of an official language, which allowed employees and workers to speak in their own languages without an overlap of languages. Lastly, cooperative working in a multicultural milieu, especially linguistic-multiculturalism, is confirmed as possible by Mouffe’s agonism, and without assimilating others’ identities, even temporarily. However, the findings still have limitations due to MAP Foundation’s as small size with a rather small administrative system. This might be an obstacle in applying the findings to a bigger organization.