What Is Intercultural Communication?

doi:10.1017/9781108555067.004

2 - What Is Intercultural Communication?

from Part I - Introducing Intercultural Communication

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 18 February 2020

Jan D. ten Thije

Edited by

Guido Rings and

Sebastian Rasinger

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Guido Rings: Affiliation:
Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge
Sebastian Rasinger: Affiliation:
Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge

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Summary

Jan D ten Thije addresses the spectrum of scientific and societal issues referred to as intercultural communication by pointing out five different theoretical and methodical approaches. First, he discusses the interactive approach which investigates intercultural (face-to-face) interaction. He then focuses on approaches that compare and contrast cultural and linguistic systems, before discussing those that consider collective and national images of ‘self’ and ‘other’ by analysing cultural representations in various forms of (computer-mediated) communication. A fourth approach comprises studies into multilingualism and linguistic diversities, and finally, the transfer approach integrates knowledge, attitudes, capacities, reflectivity and motivation in learnable intercultural competencies. Ten Thije elaborates on the interfaces and interrelations of these approaches in how they address the notion of ‘intercultural mediation’.

Keywords

intercultural communication interaction mediation multilingualism diversity

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Type: Chapter
Information: The Cambridge Handbook of Intercultural Communication , pp. 35 - 55

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108555067.004 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2020

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