Intercultural Communication Lecture Notes PDF

Intercultural Communication Objective of this course: An understanding of the evolving social environment you live. The role that culture plays in your life; And how these roles can produce different results for people belonging to other cultures. Why different results? Because people’s...

Intercultural Communication Objective of this course: An understanding of the evolving social environment you live. The role that culture plays in your life; And how these roles can produce different results for people belonging to other cultures. Why different results? Because people’s most significant values, beliefs, attitudes, behaviours, and especially communication practices are products of culture. It is beneficial to understand how cultural knowledge can provide an understanding of why people perceive the world and conduct their daily lives differently than others. In a nutshell, to provide the cultural knowledge and communication skills needed to interact successfully in a multicultural environment. Introduction The world is changing at a much faster pace, requiring rapid adjustments to evolving technology and changing social conditions. Interactions with people from different cultures are common – classrooms, workplaces, and healthcare settings. Globalization continues to accelerate – dependent on people and events in other parts of the world - concern about the economy, material resources, the environment, and global health are interconnected. Reliance on food imports an example of international interdependency. Population growth and increasing ethnic diversity – a demand for diverce food imports. Cont… Definition of intercultural communication – as communication including verbal and nonverbal interaction, between individuals with different cultural backgrounds. In the globalized world, effective intercultural communication is an increasingly essential requirement in the critical efforts to ensure world peace, improve relationships between co-cultures and the dominant cultures within each country, assure resource sustainability, and promote ecological viability. The requirements for Intercultural Cooperation Globalization normally focused on economic benefits and interdependence. Simultaneously, the global community is faced with spectrum of circumstances that present national government with demands on environmental, physical, and financial resources. Successful resolution of many problems requires global governance, a transnational approach to cooperatively engage and solve multistate problems. Social Challenges Scientific and socioeconomic advances in 19 and 20th centuries resulted in rapid population growth. For the past 200 years, improved health care with medical advances, improved sanitation, increased and safer food production and nutritional knowledge and greater availability of social support systems contributed to reduced infant mortality and increased life expectancy. Social and technological improvements facilitated and encouraged large populations from rural to urban environments. Mass migration – poverty, political oppression, economic opportunities and political stability, internationalization of the workforce – worldwide competition for jobs, especially requiring technological skills. Majority of new immigrants stay in urban areas – a requirement for better waste management, availability of foodstuffs, and reliable freshwater resources. Cont….Social Changes Places people of different ethnicities, religious practices, worldviews, beliefs, and values in closer proximity to each other Therefore, it is pertinent to learn to cooperate and respect each other’s differences. Growth in diversity demands individuals develop intercultural communication in order to converse effectively and empathetically, and understand different perspectives. Globalization increased intercultural relationships. Increased international marriages – added emphasis to the important role of intercultural communication and drew attention to identity issues. Cont… Social Changes Aging population – increase in older citizenry (over 60 years) – declining birthrates. Globally. the percentage of the population aged 60 and over (old age) increased from 9.2% (1990) to 13.71% in 2020 and expected to reach 22% in 2050. Based on the United Nations’ definition, Malaysia has become an aging society. The significant increase in the older age group - impacts the economic and social aspects (the number of working-age people in relation to those in retirement). Ecological Concerns Competition for natural resources - turmoil and conflict. Preservation of raw materials, competition for scarce resources, food, water, and energy (demands for natural gas, oil, and coal). A 2021 National Intelligence reported, “decrease in energy, food, and water security will exacerbate poverty, tribal or ethnic intercommunal tensions, and dissatisfaction with governments, increasing the risk of social, economic and political instability.: Water – threats due to overconsumption, misuse, pollution, and climate change. By 2050, three-quarters of the world’s population could experience water scarcity. IC will play a role in developing and implementing educational programs for water management and conservation. Insufficient food resources – not enough crops with the projected requirements (scarcity causes a high increase in price affecting people at poverty levels and political instability. Cont…. Ecological Concerns Decline in pelagic (oceanic) resources - fish stock depletion, ocean pollution, and climate change. Illegal fishing, unreported and unregulated fishing, also harmful fishing practices. About 80% of ocean fish had been harvested and the destruction of the world’s coral reefs. Evolving conditions are worsened by environmental degradation, pollution, and climate change. Destruction of natural habitats, wetlands, and woodlands for industrial and residential development – extinction of plant and animal species. Climate change and pollution – e.g. haze in Malaysia – need for competent intercultural interactions. Humanitarian and legal Cooperation Advances in communication technologies – dissemination of information on contagious diseases and natural disasters. Disease control - 2014 outbreak of Ebola virus and Covid 19 However, due to a lack of rapid coordination globally, the Covid 19 pandemic demonstrated a lack of equity in vaccine distribution. Only 3% of the population on the continent of Africa were inoculated. Disaster relief - tsunami Disaster response – international cooperation requiring intercultural communication competence. Humanitarian and legal Cooperation Protection of intellectual property – create legal concern in the globalized economy. Negotiation, enactment and enforcement of regulations arising from international legal agreements are confronted with issues of cultural divergence. Example international copyright law that emphasized individual effort in comparison with some cultures that is based on group and communal creation. Political Questions International legal system – capital punishments Scientific advancement ethics – Chinese government halted imports of US genetically modified food. Human rights issues (US) vs social and economical rights (China). Differences in cultural values and attitudes underlying various controversial issues – to overcome is through dialogues and agreement (employing competent intercultural communication). Security Issues Weapons of mass destruction – nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. Global terrorism and piracy – cooperation of the entire international community. Peacekeeping missions – UN peacekeeping operations – requires international cooperation to maintain peace, protect civilian etc. Emerging threats (sectarian and ethnic tensions, renascent nationalism and contested territorial claims). Issues pertaining to security are restrictions by government due to religious affiliations, religious based conflicts, emotional national appeals and conflicting territorial claims. Technology IT has globalized and democratized access to information. Internet – knowledge, entertainment, communication, and other reasons. The ability to communicate with people around the world is a source of cohesion as well as polarization and intolerance. According to Achenbach, current IT (radio and TV) permits people to inhabit a ‘filter bubble’ that lets in only the information with which they agree and provides a degree of anonymity. Cont….. Individuals - no longer seek compromises with others who have different perceptions, and attitudes. As a result, people are segregating according to communities, clubs and interest. Developing Intercultural Awareness Five caveats that will clarify the crucial link between culture and communication. The uniqueness of each individual The hazards of over generalizing The need to be objective The necessity for compromise Th myth believing that communication is a cure-all Developing Intercultural Awareness Individual Uniqueness – our behaviour is shaped by a multitude of sources with culture being but one. We are more than our cultures. The values and behaviours of a particular culture may not be the same for all individuals within that culture. Although all learned behaviour takes place within a cultural setting, every person has a unique personality, therefore, needs to be cautious when making cultural generalizations. Finally, people are more than their cultures. Developing Intercultural Awareness Generalizing – e.g. all Americans have tattoos, listen to hip-hop and eat mostly fast food are generalizing. We are allowing a few instances to represent an entire class of events, people or experiences. Generalizations are based on limited data and then applied to a larger population. Precaution: cultural generalizations must be viewed as approximations and not as absolute representations. When make generalizations – they should deal with the primary values and behaviors of a particular culture. Developing Intercultural Awareness Third, when employing generalizations, try to use those that can be supported by a variety of sources. Many references to validate conclusions Finally, conclusions and statements about cultures should be qualified to avoid being absolutes. Words like “often” and “usually” are used to avoid speaking in unconditional terms. Developing Intercultural Awareness Objectivity – definition, “Not influenced by personal feelings, interpretations, or prejudice; based on facts; unbiased: an objective opinion. When engaging in intercultural communication – we tend to approach and respond to other cultures from the perspective of our own culture and consciously or unconsciously, it is difficult to be objective when observing or experiencing other cultures. The habit of overemphasizing one’s own culture as a template for assessing other cultures is called ethnocentrism. Developing Intercultural Awareness According to Ferraro and Andreatta, ethnocentrism is “the belief that one’s culture is superior to all others.” Objectivity requires that you approach each new situation with an open mind and avoid being judgmental. Objectivity promotes learning to interact with and value distinct groups of people regardless of their culture, race, ethnicity, religion, country, or gender. Developing Intercultural Awareness Compromise in Intercultural communication – cultural conflicts may arise. Encountering disagreements is a natural characteristic of interacting with individuals who have differing perceptions of what is right or wrong, good or bad etc. Best resolution when faced with external conflict – where both parties are satisfied – mutual agreement. A compromise is better than interest. Culturally based conflict that involves values is more problematic. Developing Intercultural Awareness In times of conflict, view compromise as a positive course of action. Approach intercultural conflict with an open mind rather than a win-lose perspective. Sometimes when personal feelings, attitudes, beliefs and values put in in an uncompromising position – we can make our position clear to the other person in a clear and sincere manner. Developing Intercultural Awareness Communication is not the universal solution – even though communication is a valuable tool for resolving numerous interpersonal difficulties, however, communication cannot solve all problems. Participants may have irreconcilable differences and it can lead to alienation and even armed conflicts.