Negotiating Intercultural Relations: Insights from Linguistics, Psychology, and Intercultural Education

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Description

The goal of fostering positive intercultural relations has taken on increased importance in a wide range of societal, educational, and business contexts. This has created growing demand for educational provision that raises awareness of the role of language, culture, and psychological dynamics in processes of communication and rapport management. This volume, inspired by Helen Spencer-Oateys multidisciplinary approach to intercultural research, provides insights into the dynamic and negotiated nature of intercultural relations, informed by current theory and research in linguistics, psychology, and intercultural education. Written by an international group of prominent intercultural researchers, chapters demonstrate that intercultural interaction is highly dependent on the contextual expectations that individuals bring to communication, the social identities that are perceived to be relevant, and how individuals position themselves and others as cultural beings. They show how cultural norms and social identities are negotiated in the micro context of interpersonal interaction and in the macro sociocultural context. The volume provides intercultural researchers and educators with multidisciplinary insights into how intercultural relationships are established, maintained, and threatened.

Reviews

The volume offers a unique and much-needed multidisciplinary examination of intercultural relations that incorporates perspectives from linguistics, psychology and intercultural education. It is sure to be an excellent resource for researchers and students in the broad field of intercultural communication. -- Irina Golubeva, Professor at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, USA
The volume provides refreshing insights into understanding intercultural relationships in intercultural encounters. It makes a convincing case for a conceptual shift from an emphasis on a search for differences to relationship building. It serves as a timely reminder of the original goal of intercultural communication. -- Zhu Hua, IOE, University College London, UK

Author Bio

Troy McConachy is Associate Professor in Applied Linguistics at the University of Warwick, UK. Perry R. Hinton is Professor of Applied Linguistics at the University of Warwick, UK.