Book Review - Jackson, J. (Ed.). (2012). The Routledge handbook of language and intercultural communication. (original) (raw)
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Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 2023
The Handbook edited by Jane Jackson has been released in contemporary and transnational times where interculturality-related challenges continue to emerge. Some of these challenges include "the rise in populism, elevated fear of difference, and heightened anti-immigration sentiments" (Jackson, 2020, p. 1) and may, to varying degrees, influence individuals' lives and well-being. To tackle these issues and foster greater equity, diversity, and inclusion in intercultural communication and research practices, the Handbook presents 34 chapters to introduce interdisciplinary studies of language and intercultural communication for senior undergraduate students, graduate students, and scholars from multidisciplinary backgrounds (e.g., language education, anthropology, sociology, business, tourism) who are interested in language and intercultural communication research. Each chapter not only critically assesses field-specific theories and research methods, but also discusses practical recommendations and future directions for conducting research. The Handbook categorizes chapters into five parts. Part I, 'Foundations of language and intercultural communication studies', contains five chapters mainly reviewing the (re)conceptualizations of language and intercultural communication research, with a particular focus on historical developments across the globe (Chapter 1), culture and power (Chapter 2), identity and communication (Chapter 3), intercultural competence and citizenship (Chapter 4), and criticality and reflexivity (Chapter 5). Part II, 'Core themes and issues', shares a similar theoretical orientation with 14 chapters structured under three themes to discuss the relationships between language and other constructs such as culture, identity, and global citizenship education. Diverging slightly in focus, Part III, 'Theory into practice: Towards intercultural (communicative) competence and citizenship', looks at some important practices such as intercultural education for second language teachers (Chapter 20), intercultural responsibility and glocal critical citizenship (Chapter 21), digitally mediated development of intercultural competence (Chapter 22), equity-and diversity-focused global citizenship education (Chapter 23), and intercultural learning assessment (Chapter 24). Exemplifying interdisciplinary approaches, Part IV, 'Language and intercultural communication in context', provides diverse contexts in which intercultural communication takes place, such as international education (Chapters 25, 26, & 27), business education (Chapter 28), workplace (Chapters 29 & 30), health services (Chapter 31), legal discourse (Chapter 32), and tourism (Chapter 33). Finally, Part V, 'New debates and future directions', includes a closing chapter (i.e., Chapter 34) synthesizing ongoing debates and highlighting the need to strengthen socially just research and practical efforts so as to promote interculturality across public and private domains. This edited volume possesses several strengths. An important aspect is that all chapters exhibit a high level of criticality and reflexivity. Chapter 5, for example, explains the interconnectedness between these two notions and increases the visibility
Intercultural communication: English dominance
SHS Web of Conferences, 2021
The importance of intercultural communication in today’s globalised world is undeniable. Scholars from different countries have contributed to the development of this field and created educational materials – textbooks on intercultural communication devoted to classifications and features of different cultures – and textbooks on foreign languages that include exercises devoted to developing intercultural skills in everyday and professional contexts. Teachers of foreign languages are making an effort to use the available materials that provide a wide outlook on various cultures and help students prepare for being a part of intercultural community. However, there is an evident shortage of such materials in languages other than English. The article provides the results of the analysis of online sources that demonstrates that the majority of available resources that are in any way connected with intercultural communication are in English. The article dwells on the reasons for English do...
English as the Main Language in Intercultural Communication
The paper gives an overview of the factors, changes and trends that may have an impact on the status of the English language as lingua franca nowadays and in the near future. It presents the new phenomena and concepts of 'functional native' and 'Global English' together with the change they bring about in the practice of language teaching,, and gives an account of those areas where English continues to play a leading role (e.g. international business as dominated by multinational companies, the Internet, the international market of higher education). The potential rivals of English are also listed together with the brief characterisation of their competitive edge.
The Routledge handbook of language and intercultural communication
Choice Reviews Online
It is commonly noted that, owing to technological advances in transportation and communication, the redistribution of production and labour, and other reasons, the potential for intercultural contact is currently greater than it has ever been in human history. Moreover, with an estimated 6,900 languages across the approximately 200 countries of the world (Lewis 2009), it is very likely that intercultural contact will involve encounters between people who speak different languages. Sometimes, these encounters take place between members of groups with a long history of interaction and thus they are rather routine, such that personal and normative expectations regarding language use effectively guide the communication process to predictable, if not mutually satisfying, outcomes. At other times, we are less well acquainted with our interlocutors' practices, and so part of the process of communication involves grappling with the acquisition of new verbal and nonverbal communication systems. Regardless of the level of familiarity, a variety of sociopsychological and sociocultural processes operate within every intercultural interaction. In this chapter, we focus on how the languages we speak are linked to feelings of identity in intercultural encounters. This relation is a reciprocal one: the languages we learn and use open up possibilities for new identities, while at the same time our identities can have implications for engagement in language learning and use. We begin with a review of how scholars in social psychology, communication studies and applied linguistics have defined identity and described its function in intercultural communication. We discuss some prominent themes that reverberate (or not) across disciplines, particularly as they relate to notions of identity, language and culture, and we consider what the various conceptualizations of these constructs imply for research methodology. In so doing, we highlight areas where we believe that theory and research can be informed through interdisciplinary rapprochement. 2. Disciplinary perspectives on identity, language and intercultural communication Social psychology The view on language, identity and intercultural communication taken by many social psychologists might be described as an 'intergroup' perspective, in that it focuses on the social
It is commonly noted that, owing to technological advances in transportation and communication, the redistribution of production and labour, and other reasons, the potential for intercultural contact is currently greater than it has ever been in human history. Moreover, with an estimated 6,900 languages across the approximately 200 countries of the world (Lewis 2009), it is very likely that intercultural contact will involve encounters between people who speak different languages. Sometimes, these encounters take place between members of groups with a long history of interaction and thus they are rather routine, such that personal and normative expectations regarding language use effectively guide the communication process to predictable, if not mutually satisfying, outcomes. At other times, we are less well acquainted with our interlocutors' practices, and so part of the process of communication involves grappling with the acquisition of new verbal and nonverbal communication systems. Regardless of the level of familiarity, a variety of sociopsychological and sociocultural processes operate within every intercultural interaction. In this chapter, we focus on how the languages we speak are linked to feelings of identity in intercultural encounters. This relation is a reciprocal one: the languages we learn and use open up possibilities for new identities, while at the same time our identities can have implications for engagement in language learning and use. We begin with a review of how scholars in social psychology, communication studies and applied linguistics have defined identity and described its function in intercultural communication. We discuss some prominent themes that reverberate (or not) across disciplines, particularly as they relate to notions of identity, language and culture, and we consider what the various conceptualizations of these constructs imply for research methodology. In so doing, we highlight areas where we believe that theory and research can be informed through interdisciplinary rapprochement. 2. Disciplinary perspectives on identity, language and intercultural communication Social psychology The view on language, identity and intercultural communication taken by many social psychologists might be described as an 'intergroup' perspective, in that it focuses on the social
English as a Lingua Franca and Intercultural Communication
2019
The objective of this paper is, on the one hand, to present and highlight the importance of intercultural communicative competence (ICC) in the use of academic English within a scientific environment and, on the other, to provide insights into understanding the disadvantage that non-native English-speaking scholars experience in international publishing. This paper begins by highlighting the importance of developing awareness of intercultural competency and sensitivity in academic writing and concludes by pointing out the need for increased understanding and tolerance on behalf of the editors and peer-reviewers of international academic journals. It emphasizes the need to promote acceptability and intelligibility, rather than mere conformity to the norms of the standard language, and it humbly aims at shifting long-established perceptions in the academic community.
ISSUES OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING
The increased globalization of the economy and the interaction of different cultures was a reason for the concept of world culture to emerge. It is an idea that traditional barriers among people of different cultures will break down the traditional barriers among people. Intercultural communication takes place between nations and governments rather than individual to individual and it is quite formal and ritualized. Thus successful communication depends on shared cultural norms. The concept of interculturalization emphasizes communication as the primary goal of language learning, sees culture and language as closely linked; recognizes that culture is always present when language is used, sees cultural skills as important as language skills in language learning. When the communication takes place between people of different cultures and they share a common language, things can certainly go wrong. Moreover speaking the language does not mean that you have the background knowledge that native speakers assume you have. The issues of IC such as barriers in communication, stereotypes, ethnocentrism, culture shock and conflicts will be discussed in this study in terms of English language teaching. Key words: intercultural communication, ELT, globalization, foreign language, teaching.