Field Of Intercultural Communication Research Articles

A new model of intercultural communicative competence: bridging language classrooms and intercultural communicative contexts

ABSTRACT This study aims to open up a new avenue for the study of intercultural communication in higher education, through exploring the structural relationships among eight individual differences factors that affect intercultural communicative competence (ICC). A group of Japanese university students participated in the study by answering a questionnaire addressing these factors. Willingness to communicate (WTC) was introduced into the ICC model for the first time to connect the field of second-language acquisition to the field of intercultural communication. Constructive conflict resolution, was integrated for the first time into the ICC model, reflecting Hoff’s [(2014). ‘A Critical Discussion of Byram’s Model of Intercultural Communicative Competence in the Light of Bildung Theories.’ Intercultural Education 25 (6): 508–517. Doi:10.1080/14675986.2014.992112] argument that disagreement and conflict could potentially be beneficial situations for enlightening individuals through profound discourse between self and other. The model presented new perspectives, and the pedagogical implications are discussed.

Basic Concepts of Prospects for Further Development in the Field of Intercultural Communication in International Tourism

Intercultural understanding is what is the main purpose of intercultural communication. The article addresses the issue of the conceptual space of intercultural communication in the system of international tourism, which is represented by a huge number of conceptualized areas of national-specific industry tourist cultures.

ДАРОВИТИ СТУДЕНТИ И ИНТЕРКУЛТУРНА КОМУНИКАЦИЈА

This paper presents some of the results of an exploratory research conducted on an appropriate sample of students from six countries in the region of Southeast Europe (N-973), among them 182 potentially gifted, ie with an average grade above 9.00, therefore with expressed academic performance. The intercultural sensitivity of the gifted students was examined in the context of the current migration processes in order to analyze their ability to accept pluralistic ideas and to reconsider the opposite argumentation, because the gifted have a greater tolerance to diversity and the like.The differences in the intercultural sensitivity of the gifted students compared to other students, as well as the differences between students by gender, were recorded by applying the descriptive method and the scale of assessment as an instrument. The instrument was concerned with the question: what effects in the field of intercultural communication can cause current migration in Europe? Independent variables were gender and success in studies, and the dependent variable was level of intercultural sensitivity.The main finding relates to the following: there are statistically significant differences (small or medium) in evaluating positive and negative intercultural effects in terms of sex and success in studies, and that the donation in immigration flows has more positive effects for the EU, and in the first place among these is the strengthening of multiculturalism in the EU.

Предикторы выбора русскими стратегии поведения в межкультурном конфликте

The article describes the main results of the study investigating the predictors of the behavioral strategy choice among Russians in an imaginary conflict with a representative of the North Caucasus ethnic groups. The theoretical and methodological basis of the research includes the dual concern model, the refined theory of personal values by S. Schwartz and the concept of intergroup anxiety by W. Stefan and C. Stefan. As the predictors of the behavioral strategy choice in a conflict, following personal values were considered: Openness to change, Conservation, Self-Transcendence and Self-Enhancement. The role of intergroup anxiety was tested as a moderator affecting the link between values and behavior in the conflict. Cultural identity and self-esteem were considered as control variables. The study involved 214 ethnic Russians living in Russia (73 men, 141 women, age M = 31.96, SD = 10.21). Respondents were involved in the study helping by “snowball” method. The following methods were used: Organizational Conflict Inventory by M. Rahim in the modification of J. Oetzel, PVQ-R by S. Schwartz, the intercultural communication apprehension scale by J. Neulep and D. McKrosky, and the certain scales from the MIRIPS questionnaire. The results of the path analysis showed that the choice of the competing is positively related to the values of Self-Enhancement and is negative with the values of Self-Transcendence. The choice of collaborating strategy has a positive relation with the values of Self-Transcendence and Openness to change. The choice of an avoiding strategy is positively related to the values of Conservation and intergroup anxiety. The choice of the accommodating did not reveal a significant influence of values but this strategy is in positive connection with cultural identity and in a negative connection with self-esteem. Intergroup anxiety is a moderator of the relationship between the value of Openness to change and the collaborating strategy. The obtained results can be used in the development of recommendations in the field of intercultural communication and in the settlement of intercultural conflicts.

(Re)imagining a course in language and intercultural communication for the 21st century

Over twenty-five years ago, leading scholars in the field of intercultural communication William B. Gudykunst, Stella Ting-Toomey and Richard Wiseman published the paper “Taming the beast: Designing a course in intercultural communication.” We revisit their work in light of renewed interest in the design and implementation of the intercultural communication (ICC) course as a key site for engaging with diversity in universities around the world. Our paper draws on Gudykunst et al.’s overview of four major issues instructors should consider in designing and delivering an introductory ICC course: (a) philosophical and ethical issues, (b) pedagogical issues, (c) curricular content; and (d) resources and teaching techniques. We draw on these four issues to conduct a critical appraisal of the current state of the ICC field and to reflect on Gudykunst et al.’s recommendations in the 21st century. We pay particular attention to the increasingly stronger links between the fields of ICC and modern/foreign language (MFL) education through the key role that language(s) play in meaning making in interaction. We therefore use the issues identified by Gudykunst et al.’s seminal work as a springboard to discuss key parameters that may assist instructors in the design of a reimagined ICC course, responsive to the crucial role of language and languages in engaging with diversity.

The legacy of Cold War anti-racism: a genealogy of cultural distance in the internationalisation of higher education

ABSTRACTIn this article, we develop a genealogy of international education studies’ tenets of culture shock and skills deficit. To trace their emergence, we map the discursive shifts which underpinned cultural anthropology’s involvement in the administration of US colonial, domestic, and international affairs respectively in the early 1900s and 1950s. These shifts are concomitantly linked to the formation of the field of intercultural communication, of which popularisation in the form of Hofstede model of “cultural distance” has structured international education when turning from a Cold War tool of total diplomacy to an export industry. Taking the development of international education in Australia as a case study, we demonstrate how the shifts in the disciplinary fields aforementioned are best understood as an anti-racist strategy, which mobilisation of the concept of culture has led to the paradoxical evacuation of the heuristic of race from the lexicon of intercultural contact between “Asian” international students and presumably white host institutions.

Cultural differences in Russian and Western smiling

ABSTRACTAs a universal facial expression, the smile plays an important role in human interactions and social behavior. The problem arises in the field of intercultural communication, when smiles are used and interpreted according to national culturally specific system of nonverbal communication. In this work, I analyze the use of a smile as a nonverbal sign in a few chosen communicative contexts across Russian, European, and American cultures. The results suggest that the smile is a culturally embedded nonverbal sign and has different distribution and meanings in the compared cultures. I discuss the results in the historical perspective and try to reveal the current trend of the ongoing changes.

Two stories, one vision: A plea for an ecological turn in intercultural communication

ABSTRACTThis paper calls for a “fifth moment” in the field of intercultural communication that re-examines modern culture’s values, beliefs, and assumptions about human being in the world and the role of such in fomenting today’s ongoing planetary-wide ecological crises. To conduct this re-examination, we turn to ethnoautobiography, a framework rooted in story and in the indigenous paradigm. We raise deep questions regarding the default assumptions of a discipline ensconced almost exclusively within the monocultural logic of modern culture and civilization. We end by posing key problematics that we deem crucial for renewing the discipline toward contemporary relevance, ecological awareness, and responsibility.

An Exploration Into The Various Types Of Ambiguity In Arabic Language: A Pedagogical Study

Hamzeh AlHarbi Department of English ,University Sains Malaysia Abstract : This paper tackles the issue of the ambiguity of the Arabic language. Moreover, it shows how it isdifferent from the English language. Ambiguity is a problematic issue especially in the field of interculturalcommunication. The misunderstanding may cause a breakdown of the relationship among communicators. Ithas been recognized that the learners of Arabic language as a foreign language encounter difficulties tocommunicate in Arabic language since the Arabic language structure is entirely different comparing to mostof the other languages. These differences among languages led learners to commit mistakes while theyinteract with the Arab native speakers. The Arabic language shares with the English language two types ofambiguity; the lexical and syntactic ambiguity. Interestingly, that the Arabic language has a different type ofambiguity, which is called diacritic ambiguity. Leaners of Arabic as foreign language consider this type ofambiguity is the most problematic one. Briefly, this paper will explore three types of Arabic ambiguity withexamples. To sum up, the Arabic foreign language learners find the diacritic ambiguity more problematicthan others.

Paris, Friday, 13 November 2015: Modest thoughts of an interculturalist

The attacks in Paris on 13 November 2015 have raised many questions as to what such acts of violence have to do with culture and religion, and how the academic field of intercultural communication could explain these acts. This article argues that it is best to leave out culture as well as religion when trying to come to terms with these and similar acts of horrorrism, to express more than étatique forms of solidarity, to engage in broader and deeper analysis of culture and communication in the various peripheries of society, and above anything else, to use a language ‘that permits knowledge and encourages the mutual exchange of ideas’ (Toni Morrison).

The Role of Ambiguity in Arabic Language

ambiguity on some field, it can add a vagueness to make the listener in confuse, or it add a touch of beauty to make the listener happy, in the opposite sometimes it has bad effect on others. In the field of intercultural communication. Ambiguity led to Misunderstanding that cause a breaking down of the relationship among communicators. To avoid these mistakes that occur as result of ambiguity the learners should to know how to solve these issues. it has ben recognized that the learners of Arabic language as a foreign language encounter with Arabic sentences which involve lexical and structural ambiguity difficulites. This study explains how to solve these problems by providing some examples from Arabic language. To sum up, the ambiguity in Arabic language is more problematic than others. By providing some example on how disambiguate these sentences the learners of Arabic as foreign language will achieve the goal of communication.

Искусство в межкультурной коммуникации России и Китая

The art in the modern world is a translator of the national culture and a fi eld of intercultural communication. Due to international contemporary art unique works, absorbed the identity of each culture are born. The way of Chinese contemporary art and interaction with Russian culture are discussed.

Biblioethnology as Scientific and Academic Discipline

The article is devoted to the new part of library science - Biblioеthnology, which studies the trends and patterns of library activities development in its ethno-cultural aspect. The object of the research is the polyethnic library activity. As part of the external and internal library policy it is also studied by the Library Political Science. Scientific methods of research in the field of biblioethnology are based on the integrated use of the scientific approaches in the humanities knowledge. Biblioеthnology studies perspective areas of polyethnic library work: participation in the promoting the idea of linguistic diversity in cyberspace, strengthening the position of the national Russian language in the close cooperation with the government authorities, civil society entities, organizations and institutions in the field of science, culture, education and information, ethnic centers, mass media; creation of bibliographic aids, thematic electronic databases and digital libraries; development of scientific research and methodical work; education and training of librarians. Subjects of biblioethnology research are ethnic readers (representatives of the major ethnic groups, national minorities) and librarians, who should have sense of national identity and international consciousness; implement active mediation between the polyethnic population and the library-information resources; have specialization in the field of intercultural communication; possess the professional skills to work with the polyethnic population and ethnic communities. Currently biblioethnology is not only scientific, but also academic discipline. Library scientists develop and implement training courses, grants. Basics of biblioethnology are being taught in educational centers and libraries; trainings and seminars in the areas and on the topics of polyethnic library activities are conducted.

Gestalt Therapy: Creatively Adjusting in an Increasingly Diverse World

AbstractGestalt therapy was developed and initially practiced in a particular social and political context. Sixty-five years later, that context has changed in considerable ways. In this article, a case will be made that Gestalt therapy must continue to make adjustments and adaptations to be relevant and inclusive in an increasingly diverse world. Concepts from the field of Intercultural Communication will be introduced and integrated with paralleled concepts form Gestalt therapy.

Nigerian English in International Business Communication: Issues, Challenges and Prospects

Effective communication is a crucial factor in business success in the global village that the world has come to be. In Nigeria, the overwhelming proportion of business with the outside world is conducted using the English. The need for Nigerian business people to use the language effectively will obviously contribute to success rates in their various interactions with business people from across the globe. However, as English becomes more domesticated in Nigeria, and as local varieties become more entrenched and less stigmatized, many Nigerians including those involved in international business may no longer be adequately conscious of the fact that the peculiar Nigerian ways they speak may pose fundamental communication challenges to non Nigerian business partners who may not be quite familiar with “Nigerian English”. This paper explores these challenges by systematically aggregating findings from diverse practical observations of international business communication situations involving educated Nigerian. Based on some observed challenges, the paper advances some pedagogical innovations from the field of intercultural communication; to prepare Nigerian L2 English learners for enhanced oral communication performance in the international business world without having disparaging attitudes towards local varieties of English.

Intercultural Communication Training for English Language Teachers: A Case Study of an Immersion Program for South Korean Teachers

Little research has been conducted that explores connections between the fields of intercultural communication and English-language instruction. To address this gap, we report on an intercultural communication course delivered as an integral part of a short-term professional development immersion program for English-language teachers from South Korea. Study results indicate that intercultural communication training served to enhance participants’ pragmatics awareness along with sensitivity regarding sociocultural influences on communication that they experienced in situ. After the four-week course, most of the participants expressed desire and readiness to integrate intercultural communication into their teaching in South Korea. Intercultural communication training promises to complement pragmatics instruction aiming at improving English-language learning and teaching.

Repositioning English and multilingualism in English as a Lingua Franca

Abstract In the relatively few years since empirical research into English as a Lingua Franca began being conducted more widely, the field has developed and expanded remarkably, and in myriad ways. In particular, researchers have explored ELF from the perspective of a range of linguistic levels and in an ever-increasing number of sociolinguistic contexts, as well as its synergies with the field of Intercultural Communication and its meaning for the fields of Second Language Acquisition and English as a Foreign Language. The original orientation to ELF communication focused heavily, if not exclusively, on form. In light of increasing empirical evidence, this gave way some years later to an understanding that it is the processes underlying these forms that are paramount, and hence to a focus on ELF users and ELF as social practice. It is argued in this article, however, that ELF is in need of further retheorisation in respect of its essentially multilingual nature: a nature that has always been present in ELF theory and empirical work, but which, I believe, has not so far been sufficiently foregrounded. This article therefore attempts to redress the balance by taking ELF theorisation a small step further in its evolution.

Realizing Dignity for Enhancing Intercultural Competence

<p align="LEFT">The aim of this paper is to present the concept of dignity as a refl ective concept that may serve as a strategy for enhancing intercultural competence. Within the field of intercultural communication, intercultural competence seeks to impart essential knowledge and skills for engaging in intercultural encounters with cognitive, behavioral and affective competence. Dignity contributes to intercultural competence by enabling persons to view the social world anew.</p><p align="LEFT">In this paper, dignity is conceptualized as the development and self-expression of persons free from social categorization, while acknowledging human vulnerability towards the social and material world. In intercultural encounters, a person may indeed sense their vulnerability due to a lack of social orientation, cultural awareness and language skills. Simultaneously, the vulnerability of the Other may be neglected with implications for effective and appropriate interaction between a Self and a culturally dissimilar Other. Accordingly, it is proposed that emotional regulation is essential for realizing dignity as an aspect of intercultural competence.</p><p align="LEFT">Research on social dynamics and identity and the emotions is not without its precedence within intercultural communication. This project contributes to the objectives of intercultural communication and competence by theorizing how awareness of social dynamics and emotional regulation may support the realization of dignity during intercultural encounters. Dignity may complement other strategies related to cognitive, behavioral and affective competence for engaging in effective and appropriate communication.</p>

Constructing Intercultural Communicative Competence Framework for English Learners

Intercultural communicative competence (ICC) is an area of research that has tremendous pragmatic potential. Many teachers and English learners have noticed that English education is both instrumental and humanistic in nature. Thus, the ultimate goal of English teaching is intended to cultivate the intercultural communicative competence. This goal has gathered a widespread attention. Thus, to study intercultural communicative competence is of great significance in the field of intercultural communication. However, the research on this competence is limited. Thus, an effective training framework is yet to be constructed. There is no universally agreed-upon definition of intercultural communicative competence. Therefore, the present review is intended to introduce the framework of intercultural communicative competence in College English. In this review, we will pay attention to what intercultural communicative competence is and how to construct intercultural communicative competence framework for English learners, which may be useful for English learners to communicate more effectively with people from other cultures.

Beyond the ‘cultural turn’: the politics of recognition versus the politics of redistribution in the field of intercultural communication

Since the 1980s the field of language teaching and learning has emphasised the interplay between language, culture and identity and promotes both communicative and intercultural competencies. This mirrors a general trend in the social sciences after the so-called cultural turn which brought about a concentration on culture, identity and voice (the politics of recognition) at the expense of socio-economic structures and relations (the politics of redistribution). This article argues that despite this marginalisation, socio-economic and hence class issues still impact crucially upon the amount and quality of recognition people receive from others and should therefore be brought again to the forefront of theoretical discussions. This seems ever more important in the current neoliberal socio-economic restructuring in all spheres of life that deepens inequality and thus impacts upon the conditions under which people meet and communicate with each other. This article analyses the characteristics and consequences of the cultural turn that brought about this unhelpful divide between the politics of recognition and the politics of redistribution and then proposes an alternative theoretical framework that combines a Critical Realist ontology with Bourdieu's notion of habitus and field. Such a framework, it is suggested, would shed a more realistic light on intercultural communication and could help to connect language teaching and learning with questions of social justice, and thus enhance empathy, understanding and criticality in students.