History

The preparation for visiting another country should include reading about the history of the home country and in particular about its effects on the prevailing mentality. Books on the linkage between history and mentality are not always easy to find and if finding one its academic nature and purpose may obscure the consequences in day-to-day life. A positive exception, for instance, on the Netherlands is Under a Low Sky by Han van der Horst (2001). This book was written as an introduction to Dutch society for foreign students, showing the effects of Dutch history on the Dutch mentality. Another (easy) approach is reading an historical novel on that country.

Several researchers have shown how important the effect of the history of a state may be on the nature of a culture and how decades-old (or even older) value patterns of work through on a culture.

Inglehart (1997) argues that cultural differences can be explained of 51% on the basis of history and old patterns. However, you have to assure that the boundaries of that country are not substantially altered (e.g. Poland, Germany; think also about all the artificial borders, drawn by colonial powers). In addition, the difference between a state and nation are to be addressed as well. History helps in decreasing prejudices and stereotypes.