Cultural and intercultural communication competence: Current approaches and directions for future research

Abstract

Several critical issues in cultural and intercultural communication inquiry were overviewed including the need for clarity in conceptualizations of culture and intercultural communication, representational and statistical validity of constructs, consistency in ontological and epistemological assumptions, clarity in culture general or culture specific goals in the research endeavor, and appropriate discussion of implications and applications. Four selected approaches to the study of cultural and intercultural competence were discussed in light of these issues: ethnography of speaking approaches, behavioral skills approaches, crosscultural attitude approaches, and, finally, an approach thematizing cultural identity and competence.