I recently participated in a discussion on Facebook
concerning a posting at the Upfront with NGS
blog; its subject matter covered how we treat each other as colleagues in the
genealogy community. I’m all for getting along and I even have a lecture
dealing with how to interact and engage with others called “Playing Nice in the
Genealogy Sandbox.”
Yet. one aspect of collaboration where I admittedly have had
a blind spot is the concept of being more international and less US-centric in
my outreach efforts.
“The Ugly Genealogist”
– Is There Such a Thing?
The term “ugly genealogist” is derived from the similar “ugly
American” which could be traced to the title of the photo above in 1948 and
then later a book made into a 1963 movie starring Marlon Brando. Some even say
that the term could be traced back to Mark Twain in his work Innocents Abroad.
Albeit somewhat overused, the term has come to pejoratively mean
someone who is overly ethnocentric when interacting with others, specifically
in situations involving travel abroad or interactions with those from other
cultures.
When you attend a genealogy conference, do you only talk
about the way you research genealogy, your own techniques and the methods used
in your own country? Or do you seek out sessions and exhibitors who bring a
different flavor to the genealogy table?
More and more conferences are international in scope and
bring together genealogists from all over the world. In addition, more
genealogy vendors are aware of this, prime examples being Ancestry, FindMyPast
and MyHeritage. Just look at how each of these companies are reaching out with
multi-language versions of their websites, software and even blogs. Educational
content makes allowances for how each culture might view genealogy and family
history.
Why Should I Have To
Change?
Have you ever thought about where you would be, personally
and professionally, if you dug in your heels and just stuck with the 1.0
version of a changing technology? Like the Julian calendar instead of the
Gregorian calendar? Or perhaps overheads instead of digital slides for a
genealogy presentation? There comes a point when change is not a choice but a
matter of progress and survival.
Certainly, being more aware of your international colleagues
in genealogy is not a make or break situation. Yes, you can continue to
function as you always have, but just think about how many other family
historians you could connect with and how much you could learn by making small
changes.
As I see it, embracing change does not detract from my love
of my home country or its traditions in any way. It also doesn’t mean I have to
agree with the way others work or live. It just means I need to be more aware
of the world outside my back yard and how I fit into it.
Very often, even increasing awareness means taking risks and
the fear of failure. A recent example for me was a Google+ hangout with a group
of genealogists in Madrid
The experience was thoroughly rewarding on many levels,
including the ability to find out what motivates genealogists in Spain Spain than females . . . a reversal of what I
see here in the United
States
Go International – Tips
and Tricks
I’ll be the first to admit that transitioning to new ways of
working and writing isn’t always easy, even for a “change embracer” like me. I
also don’t beat myself up over it since I realize it is a process and that change does not happen immediately. I will make
mistakes and I know that my colleagues will give me some leeway as I learn how
to be more inclusive. Here are some areas in which I am currently focusing my
efforts and some tips from my own experiences:
·
Use international date formats.
Most countries use the Day Month Year format as in 1 January 2013 rather than
January 1, 2013 or 1/1/2013. Luckily most technology from Smartphone settings
to genealogy database software can adjust these settings for us. I’ve recently
embraced this standard for blog posts and in my writing.
·
Be aware of customs and traditions.
This is not an easy one, but there are many resources available on the Internet
and in print. Personally I am always fascinated with the customs of my
colleagues in other countries and how they got started. Be curious, do research
and don’t be afraid to ask questions of your international colleagues.
·
Let technology handle some tasks.
Don’t feel that you need to translate your work or adjust everything. Example:
when I write for the UK
·
Know your audience.
If you are speaking to or writing for a group that has genealogists from all
over the world, include examples that cover several cultures. Example: for a
recent webinar on finding living persons for a Canadian genealogy society, I
made sure to not only include Canadian resources, but also research privacy
laws in Canada
·
Be open to feedback.
Don’t be instantly offended when someone asks you to make allowances for non-US
genealogists and their practices. Discuss their motivations and understand the
opportunities available in making adjustments. Keep an open mind and one that
is open to new things and new cultures.
© 2013, copyright Thomas
MacEntee
Bio: Thomas MacEntee is a genealogy professional
specializing in the use of technology and social media to improve genealogical
research and as a means of interacting with others in the family history
community. For more information visit http://hidefgen.com.
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Indeed. So applicable to many things. For computer files, I use the following date format: YYYY-MM-DD. It helps them line up according to date. This is especially useful for photographs, recordings, etc.
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