Intercultural identity and inter-religious dialogue: a holy place to be?

Abstract

The paper critically engages with contemporary theories of intercultural and inter-religious dialogue found in the areas of linguistic pragmatics and intercultural theology. Drawing on Ducrot's theory of polyphony, it takes preliminary steps in formulating an alternative conception of the individual subject that incorporates a polyphonic articulation of the self. It then explores the role that dialogism has on our understanding of inter-religious encounters. Lastly, through reference to contemporary documents on inter-religious dialogue, it argues against the privileging of the secular nation state, and concludes that there is no possibility for intercultural dialogue without an inter-religious encounter: intercultural dialogue is a holy place to be.