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7: Intercultural Communication

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    388994
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    • 7.1: Foundations of Intercultural Communication
      This page explores the complexity of culture as a dynamic interplay of learned beliefs and identities formed through social interactions in various institutions. It details the development of both nondominant and dominant identities, emphasizing the journey from unexamined identity to advocate for social justice in nondominant groups, while dominant identities confront privilege.
    • 7.2: Cultural Dimensions
      Our culture is the broad set of shared beliefs and values that form a collective vision of ourselves and others. Culture is learned, and it can be so ingrained it becomes challenge to identify how it influences our thoughts and behaviors. For example, in U.S. culture, we place a high value on self-determination: we have a fundamental right to make choices we deem best for us. As long as our actions do not harm others or inhibit their choices, we feel free to follow the life path of our choosing.
    • 7.3: Dialectical Approach
      This page explores intercultural communication through a dialectical approach, highlighting the dynamic interplay of six key dialectics: cultural-individual, personal-contextual, differences-similarities, static-dynamic, history/past-present/future, and privileges-disadvantages. These dialectics emphasize the importance of context, history, and intersectionality in understanding culture and communication.
    • 7.4: Exploring Specific Cultural Identities
      This page explores how cultural identities, including race, gender, sexual orientation, and ability, are socially constructed rather than biologically determined. It highlights the historical context of race and immigration in the U.S., the social construction of gender and sexuality, and the evolution of feminist and LGBTQ+ movements. The impact of patriarchy, education, and privilege associated with ability are examined, alongside the historical treatment of people with disabilities.
    • 7.5: Intercultural Communication Competence
      This page emphasizes the importance of Intercultural Communication Competence (ICC), highlighting motivation, knowledge, and tolerance for uncertainty as essential components. It discusses cultivating ICC through experiential learning, reflective practices, and understanding cultural differences. Personal anecdotes illustrate the learning process, while skills such as empathy and conflict resolution are seen as vital.
    • 7.6: Chapter 7 Summary
      This page provides a study guide for the key concepts of intercultural communication and a list of references.


    This page titled 7: Intercultural Communication was last modified on Wed, 19 Aug 2026 21:58:53 GMT and is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Lia Calhoun via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.