Intercultural Communication

As the world becomes increasingly globalized, an increased emphasis should be placed on intercultural communication. The consequences for failing to communicate successfully across cultures could have disastrous consequences, especially given the rise of international business. So I think it's a good thing that researchers and educators are exploring this issue in greater depth.

I think one of the best ways to change your perspective on ICC is to study abroad or actually work abroad for an extended period of time. Because if you do that, then for what is likely the first time, you will be in an area where you, your culture, and your worldview will not be in the majority. So you will be forced to at least open your mind and learn a bit about how people of other cultures think and how they see things.

But not everyone has the luxury of being able to study abroad or take an overseas job. So what's needed is patience. And you have to be a bit proactive as well. There's a lot of mistrust between different groups, so an honest opening gesture or overture could go a long way towards dismantling stereotypes and barriers.

I also think we should focus more on our comfort levels than the actual dialogues themselves because if you have a rapport or the trust, then you will know that you should not assume bad intentions when there's a communication breakdown. Patience and trust will allow both the speaker and listener to cooperate and negotiate meaning together.

However, to be sure, repair strategies, recasts, and recul are indeed essential to successful ICC. The aspect of recul is probably more important for one's own personal development because it could make your future ICC interactions a bit more successful. However, is the goal of ICC to understand each other, or is it merely to avoid offending someone? If you believe it's the former, then recul is more important. If it's the latter, then mere tact and patience would probably suffice.