Culture & SocietyAgree / DisagreeIntermediateHigh Frequency

Behaviour Abroad

Prompt

There are different customs in different countries related to how people eat, dress, and so on. Some think that people visiting a country should behave according to customs of the country they visit. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

#cultural relativism#respect for customs#cultural imperialism#tourism ethics#integration vs assimilation#boundary-setting

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Band 7 → 9 — Band 7 acknowledges importance of respecting local customs while visitors deserve some autonomy, while Band 9 interrogates what 'customs' means (who defines them?), recognizes power imbalances, and notes that many 'traditions' are recent inventions, not ancient.

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Key concepts in this essay

cultural relativism vs universalism
respect vs compliance
visitor ethics
power dynamics in cross-cultural encounters
cultural expression and identity

Pitfalls the model essay avoids

Oversimplifying 'respect' to mean complete conformity regardless of personal comfort or values
Not distinguishing between major customs (religious practice) and minor ones (dining etiquette)
Ignoring that some 'customs' may conflict with visitors' fundamental values (gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights)

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