Comparing and Contrasting the US and UAE Cultures (Essay Sample)

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Comparing and Contrasting the United States (US) and United Arab Emirates (UAE) Cultures
Culture is an important aspect of society that distinguishes in-groups from out-groups. Cultural elements include language, symbols, values, and norms (Gaweesh and Al Haid 1). National culture plays a significant role in international relations, considering that the rate of cross-cultural interactions has increased over the years due to globalization. This paper compares and contrasts the US and UAE national cultures.
US values individualism while UAE values collectivism. Americans believe in self-sufficiency as opposed to Emirates, whose identity is defined by close family, extended family, and the community (Gaweesh and Al Haid 4). The US also has flexible codes of behavior and beliefs compared to UAE (Hofstede Insights 1). For instance, most UAE natives practice Islam and are hardly influenced by other world religions, while Americans tend to be open to other religious practices, including Buddhism and Christianity.
Contrary to Emirates who accept a hierarchical order, Americans take a centralized approach to power relations. In UAE, some community members, like women and young people, and children are less powerful than men and older people due to power distance (Gaweesh and Al Haid 9). On the contrary, Americans foster equal treatment irrespective of age and gender (Hofstede Insights 1).
However, the UAE and US cultures are similar in various ways. For instance, both countries are friendly to foreigners (Gaweesh and Al Haid 7). Dubai is a world's tourism destination, while the US accommodates the highest number of immigrants annually. These countries accommodate individuals with diverse cultural beliefs and values, demonstrating their high tolerance