Intercultural Concepts Research Articles

Examining realised and unrealised contacts: theoretical thoughts on digital interculturality

ABSTRACT This article argues for a Digital Interculturality Studies by bringing together a variety of theories including postdigitality, platformisation, Jürgen Bolten’s concept of interculturality, agency theory and Foucaultian media archaeology. It is argued that the internet should be viewed as a postdigital patchwork of bordered platforms, in which human agents drift between digital culturality and interculturality in a type of digital cultural fuzziness. It also centres digital agentive fragments: pieces of human ‘doing’ ‘within’, ‘above’ and ‘around’ the internet, which are often embedded in systematic agency. It lastly argues that a Digital Interculturality Studies should be centred on the materiality of contacts, exclusions and also incorporate digital intercultural contacts which have not been realised or not allowed to be realised. A methodological sketch is proffered in relation to how this could be undertaken, combining a post-qualitative perspective with the philosophical area of counterfactual theories of causation.

Teaching English in a Mexican intercultural university: analyzing teacher discourses and practices from ELF perspectives

The purpose of this article is to show how English teachers have integrated the concept of interculturality and how they have affected the teaching of English in an intercultural university in southeastern Mexico. Based on the contributions of the ELF approach, biographical interviews with five English teachers were analyzed to explore their discourses on the educational model and its relationship with the sociocultural context of the Yucatan Peninsula. Interviews were analyzed through discourse analysis and three categories were obtained by which teachers make sense of their current professional practice: (1) the creation of intercultural relationships, (2) the interculturalization of ELT, and (3) discursive tensions towards an intercultural approach. Different positions and definitions about interculturality and its implications in the English classroom were found. Through an ELF approach, emphasis is placed on taking advantage of the diversity present in the classroom to develop intercultural awareness. It also explores the need to pay attention to communicative needs rather than continuing with traditional communication patterns and developing critical thinking in their students.

Об эволюции концептуальных основ этно-национальной политики России

On the eve of the update in 2025 of the “Strategy of State National Policy”, a discussion is unfolding in Russia about the existing and future conceptual foundations of such a policy. This discussion largely determines this article. In it, the author critically analyzes the stereotypical ideas about the national politics of Soviet and post-Soviet times that emerged in the process of this discussion. For example, about stability in the era of L. Brezhnev, a stereotype that does not take into account the rise of two varieties of nationalism in the 1960–1980s; about the “parade of sovereignties in the era of Soviet Perestroika: about multiculturalism as the supposedly official doctrine of Russian politics in the 1990s. The article analyzes the prospects for establishing a new concept of interculturalism in Russia. In this regard, the materials of a sociological study conducted by scientific teams led by the author of this article in 2018 in Rostov-on-Don are presented.

Breaking Borders, Bridging Fields: Unveiling the Transculturality of Anti‐Asian Racism in a Global Context

Despite the recent surge in scholarly attention to anti‐Asian racism, what is largely missing in this growing body of literature is a bridge connecting studies on this subject to the broader field of race and ethnicity studies. In this special issue, we propose to use the concept of transculturality, which is defined as the process of cultural interaction, interpenetration, and hybridization that transcends the traditional borders of individual cultures, to establish this connection. In this introductory article, we first critically review the concepts of culture, interculturality, and multiculturality in the studies of race and ethnicity. Upon this review, we explain how transculturality advances the knowledge of racial and ethnic identity, ideas, and practices. This introduction concludes with an overview of each contribution, setting the stage for a comprehensive exploration of this complex and multifaceted issue. Collectively, this special issue aims to not only provide theoretical and empirical insights into the transculturality of anti‐Asian racism but also build a bridge between the studies of the Asian diaspora and the general research on race and ethnicity.

Critical Intercultural Pedagogical Experiences: The case of two public schools

This article is the result of our research interest in the concept of Critical Interculturality (CI) along with our professional pedagogical experiences at the public-school level. The experiences took place in two different regions in Colombia, Medellín, Antioquia, and Florencia, Caquetá. These experiences were initially systematized in a PhD seminar concerning Critical Intercultural theories. First of all, we conceptualise CI from a Latin-American perspective associated with patterns of power and hierarchical structures, while bringing to light other ways of being, living, and knowing. Then, we look at the current stage of English Language Teaching (ELT) Colombian scholarship on CI, which is increasingly being studied from the standpoint of theory rather than practice. Finally, we describe two experiences that highlight public school teachers’ practices from a critical intercultural view going beyond CI theory by categorising and proving that it is possible to undertake authentic critical intercultural pedagogical experiences in the EFL/ELT field.

Interculturality as Paradigm to Promote Social and Environmental Sustainability

In today’s rapidly changing multicultural world characterized by numerous challenges ranging from geopolitical tensions and interreligious conflicts to environmental degradation, it is imperative to have a paradigm of cultural interaction that promotes social and environmental sustainability. Interculturality has emerged as a relevant framework for addressing these challenges. This paper explores the potential of interculturality to contribute to a more sustainable future by integrating social and ecological dimensions embedded in the paradigm. Therefore, this paper sets out to address the following: (1) Present the concept of interculturality and its relevance to the contemporary milieu; (2) Discuss the contribution of interculturality to promoting social sustainability; (3) Discuss the relationship between culture and nature; and (4) Discuss the potential of interculturality to contribute to environmental sustainability.
 This paper contributes to ongoing discourse on interculturality by demonstrating not only its relevance to social sustainability but also its implications for environmental sustainability, including raising awareness about the impact of development on culturally significant natural areas, protecting indigenous communities’ rights, and valuing diverse cultural practices for biodiversity management, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable and inclusive society that values all cultures.

“The Silk Road was the most fertile approach to translating the concept of interculturality”

“The Silk Road was the most fertile approach to translating the concept of interculturality”

Conceptualizing diversity in ECEC policy: implications for the role of diverse preschool in Sweden

ABSTRACT The aim of this article is to examine contemporary conceptualizations of cultural and linguistic diversity in the Swedish policy for early childhood education and care (ECEC). The analysis draws on in-depth interviews with high-level policy actors and the analysis of documentary material. Using the concepts of interculturality and hybridity as theoretical tools, the study explores understandings of diversity at preschool and connects these with the role of preschool in culturally and linguistically diverse settings. The findings suggest that the concept of diversity is (a) embedded in dynamic notions of culture, (b) articulated within discourses of democratic citizenship, and, (c) its enactment is promoted in time and space where negotiation and dialogue emerge. Within the context of increased population diversity, there is consensus over the core functions of the Swedish language in preschool, while discourses of multilingualism are characterised by positive yet complex and sometimes diversified constructions. These are reflected in the multiple roles assigned to preschool based on preparing, preventing, and promoting educational and welfare values to children from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.

Designing a collaborative and virtual exchange-embedded virtual summer school

This practice report describes the design and implementation of a collaborative and virtual exchange-embedded virtual summer school for postgraduate students in the context of European Higher Education. The two-week virtual summer school on multilingualism and intercultural learning brought together 40 students who collaborated to produce ten video-case studies based on their experiences as educators in a number of contexts. We share our experiences as organisers and participants and offer insights from the process of planning for, engaging with and evaluating the summer school. Our paper draws on quantitative and qualitative data, i.e., a pre and post summer school survey, a qualitative evaluation questionnaire and a student-participant account to evidence how the experience benefitted participants. Our findings demonstrate the effectiveness of the model presented here: participants’ understanding of key concepts of interculturality and multilingualism increased, there was a statistically significant difference in perceived development of digital competences and presentation skills, and more than 90% of the participants were very satisfied with their training and international collaboration opportunities. In conclusion, we propose a set of learning points that may support others to design and deliver a collaborative model of summer school and the use of ‘skills passports’ in alternative to accreditation.

Percepción del concepto de interculturalidad y género en los estudiantes de la Universidad Autónoma Indígena de México

This article discusses the conceptualization of the interculturality of the students of the Indigenous Autonomous University of Mexico from the gender perspective, if the perception of interculturality changes because of being a man or a woman. It has as a reference the research work on the ways in which interculturality is conceived by students, called academic holders, in the 2013-2014 school year. In the first place, this research was based on the analytical method that involved the analysis of elements that make up the students' understanding of interculturality. The descriptive method was used, which consisted in the breakdown of each of the terms that describe interculturality. This was very timely due to the complexity of the aforementioned phenomenon in terms of data collection and interpretation, the Ethnographic method was also used because the research does not leave aside what people do, how they behave and how they interact, in addition It is proposed to describe their beliefs, values, perspectives, motivations. The methods were supported by research techniques that facilitated the understanding of the study phenomenon, the participant observer technique and the questionnaire were used, because there are spaces in which it is difficult to can access the daily life of students. The perception of interculturality does not change because of being a man or a woman, it was found that the concept of interculturality is polysemic that has many meanings, most of which refer to the relationship of cultures in a place and their interaction.

Interculturalism in Kazakhstan: a Response to Thinking about Diversity

This article defines the concept of interculturalism, explores its foreign applications, and outlines its primary structural components, all of which are based on data acquired through desk research. In addition, this paper considers answers to such problematic questions as "How important is interculturalism in the management of Kazakhstan's cultural diversity?", "What should be its main mechanisms?".

Kwesi Gyan: A Cross-Cultural Artistic Impression on Apatampa Musical Resources

Interculturalism has played a significant role in influencing societies’ artistic identity, particularly in Africa’s music. This phenomenon seems to be no exception in the choral, art-song, and instrumental music spheres despite the untapped nature of orchestral music in this part of the world, especially among Ghanaian art/scholar musicians. Orchestral music as a genre in the Neo-African art music space appears deficient in terms of its usage of African resources for creation. The less-to-zero exploitation of this art form has roughly marked a gap in its ingenuous disposition; thus, affording the opportunity for similar works. “Kwesi Gyan”, the 3rd Movement of the ‘Sankɔfa Symphony’ is a 21st-century chamber orchestra piece that merges traditional rhythms and a folk tune from Apatampa music with scholarly compositional techniques. The orchestral form of this music speaks to its Western nature. Likewise, the main melodic and rhythmic structures originate from Ghanaian culture, which illustrates the concept of interculturalism through the aforementioned merger. This paper presented the composition through a practice-based research approach, drawing on theories of cross-cultural music-making and Neo-African art music. It also provided a deeper understanding of the composer’s thought process and provides insight into understanding the piece. Additionally, the article aimed at inspiring creative research into Ghanaian musical arts, potentially contributing to the preservation of the country’s cultural heritage for future generations. Keywords: Interculturalism, composition, African music, Apatampa, Ghanaian musical arts, cultural heritage

Knowing from conflict: interculturality as a space of interaction for the production of knowledges

ABSTRACT This article problematizes the interaction between diverse actors for the production of knowledges. From a phenomenological approach of three different experiences, I argue that the concept of interculturality and the practice of knowledge production based on it, will allow more symmetrical processes, with better knowledges, with a greater empowerment of non-academic communities, and with a more inclusive knowledge production from academic communities. I rely on political ontology to show that interactions cannot aspire (only) to dialogue and collaboration as a normative horizon, but that the production of knowledge requires the recognition of conflict. I consider interculturality can help to produce an interaction that incorporates conflict as an expression of ontological difference, which enhances its transformative character by recognizing asymmetries, establishing meeting points, and rethinking the methods used in interaction.

Indigenous Discourse for Peaceful Coexistence: Engaging in Intercultural Polylogue for Tackling Global Challenges

Many national and multinational interventions have proven toothless in addressing global challenges such as those defined by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This article addresses SDG 16 ‘Peace, justice and strong institutions’ and elaborates on how indigenous knowledge can contribute to fostering this goal. The theoretical framework relates SDG 16 to the concept of interculturality as promoted by liberation theology. This framework is translated into a methodology by pursuing a sociology-ofknowledge approach to discourse (SKAD), thus comprising a focus on power relations and on the social construction of knowledge and realities. This article analyzes indigenous approaches to conflict transformation across all inhabited continents and provides a systematization of these approaches as well as insight into their shared characteristics, resulting in a theoretic discourse on the subject. While this synthesized discourse is inevitably an expression of Western academia, a decolonialization of the very same is called for, particularly regarding development research. This article therefore concludes on a note of how global goals, such as SDG 16, can be fostered through the collaboration of indigenous peoples, NGOs, academia, politics, and the broader public, thus bringing together the different traditions of thought in an intercultural polylogue.

INTERCULTURALISM AS A CONCEPTUAL BASIS FOR MODERNIZING THE KAZAKHSTAN MODEL OF PUBLIC CONSENT AND NATIONAL UNITY

The concept of interculturalism considers sociocultural integration as a dynamic process of forming a cultural space of civil consolidation based on dialogue and complementary intercultural interaction. No culture embodies everything valuable in human life and does not develop the full range of human capabilities. Different cultures correct and complement each other, broaden each other's horizons, and intercultural interaction stimulates and generates new forms of national unity, social solidarity and personal self-realization.

Intercultural Education as a Factor of Realization of the Rights of People

The article deals with the issues of the role of multicultural/intercultural education in ensuring the cultural rights of the bearers of various traditions in the process of their interaction in an ethnically diverse human environment. The hypothesis of the publication is the following: multicultural/intercultural education forms (builds) a platform for the realization of cultural rights of representatives of various ethnic communities in the process of their interaction, preventing the violation of their rights. Clarifying the content of the concepts of multicultural education and intercultural education begins with exposing the content of the concepts of multiculturalism and interculturalism.
 The content of the concept of ethnic interaction as well as the structure of this phenomenon is presented. The etymology of multicultural/intercultural education and its contemporary value is discussed.
 The author concludes that the practice of multicultural/intercultural education in North American and European countries has proven its viability in forming a platform for ensuring equal opportunities for the realization of the cultural rights of the bearers of various ethnocultural traditions and ways of life, particularly in the educational process. It opens up opportunities for equal ethnic interaction at the level of minority groups and at the level of minorities and the majority – the mainstream of the country of residence – and helps to avoid violations of their rights thanks the exclusion of prejudices, getting to know each other better. As a result, opportunities for interaction in the plane of psychological perception replace the paradigm of opposition “we-they (strangers)” with the paradigm of compromise “we-they (others).”
 The prospects for the development of multicultural/intercultural education for Ukraine are analyzed in the context of conflict-free interethnic interaction.

Inclusive special education in interface with critical interculturality: a look at research from the North of Brazil

The present research was carried out through a bibliographical survey in the postgraduate programs in education in the North region of Brazil. The investigation has the following objectives: a) to describe the perspective of authors who theorize about the concept of interculturality; b) verify if the works found deal with inclusion and the theory of interculturality; c) analyze how these works bring intercultural theory closer to the world of People with Disabilities (PwD). The research discusses Critical Interculturality and its interface with the universe of special/inclusive education. The methodology was qualitative research with a bibliographical survey on the websites of postgraduate courses in education in the North – state and federal institutions. The focus was theses and dissertations defended between the years 2015 to 2020. In the text we use tables and charts with the number of works on special education and the theory of critical interculturality. The results point to three dissertations that articulate special/inclusive education and critical interculturality.

The Assembly of people of Kazakhstan as an institution of interculturalism policy

The article reveals the origins of the systemic crisis of the neoliberal model of multiculturalism. It is shown that the conceptual foundations and socio-political technologies of the neoliberal project of a multicultural society were unable to combine the principle of recognition and promotion of cultural diversity with the imperative of strengthening the civil-political, cultural, spiritual unity of the people. The search for a new model of nation-building and management of ethno-cultural diversity led to the emergence of the concept of interculturalism in the early 2000s. Interculturalism is considered by modern political theory as a kind of third way between the extremes of multiculturalism and the policy of assimilation. The article shows that the approaches and principles of interculturalism are consistently and effectively implemented in the national policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, having received institutional consolidation in the form of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan.

Linear transmission of “whiteness”: A textual analysis of a year 9 “timeline”

This paper draws on theories of history and interculturality to explore how a ‘timeline’ and its visual language as a ‘crystallised text’ constructs the linear transmission of ‘whiteness’. When the concept of interculturality or associated term of Intercultural Understanding (ICU) is related to history education, it carries connotations of disruption to dominant narratives. The absence of difference, diversity, and the stories of ‘other’, are explicated in critical inclusions and exclusions of historical content knowledge and the way it is organised within key pedagogies such as ‘chronology’. In addition to focus group interviews with history teachers, the study conducted a textual analysis of a ‘timeline’ used at Year 9 (students aged 13-15) defined here as a ‘Western Drama’, underpinned by linear progress as a basic theme. It was analysed through the lens of a ‘crystal prism’ which conceptually draws on the foundational work of educationalist Jörn Rüsen to explore intersections between history, interculturality and discourse.

Learning from Within: A Proposal for a New Approach to Education in Native Society

This article presents a new perspective on how to think about interculturality and education from the perspective of a native society in the Paraguayan Chaco. It highlights how formal schooling reaffirms the model of unidirectional relations advocated by national society. Within this model, indigenous peoples and persons are not allowed to participate in this national society on their own conceptual terms, and inclusion turns out to be mere shorthand for assimilation. This text, on the other hand, proposes modes of education and forms of relating that pay attention to the native dimension. These would contribute to the creation of spaces which indigenous societies as such can hold within national society and support indigenous people’s own processes of protagonism and initiative. In parallel, it proposes conceiving of education as from rather than for autochthonous societies; and conceiving of the learning process from the point of view of learning rather than from the point of view of education. This conceptual change, which includes a critique of the widespread concept of interculturality, entails that we must not design modes of education, but rather create preconditions for learning from within the native society, which also requires ways of relating from within. In this way, colonialist pressures in education can be overcome and new possibilities for native protagonism can be developed.