Intercultural Communication

1
Intercultural Communication

• Sheri Webber

2
Human Beings

• like all other biological systems
• Perpetuate themselves through filtering favorable
  environmental elements
• Reproduce themselves
• are unique
• Tool manipulation
• Symbolic communication

3
Culture
refers to patterns of human activity and the
symbolic structures that give such activity
significance. Wikkipedia, 2006

• is a set of distinctive spiritual, material,
  intellectual and emotional features of society or
  a social group, and it encompasses, in addition
  to art and literature, ways of living together,
  value systems, traditions and beliefs.
• UNESCO, 2002

4
Hegemony

• is the dominance of one group over other groups
  to the extent that cultural perspectives become
  skewed to favor the dominant group.
• controls the ways that ideas become common
  sense.
• is characterized by shifting forces of power

• Proselytism
• Colonialism
• Mass Media
• Revolution
• Inclusion
• Relativism

5
Cultural Relativism
Culture is a symbolic system with adaptive
functions it varies according to its environment
and results in distinct and enduring patterns of
meaning.

• Individual elements of a culture, such as a
  ritual or a belief, can only be fully understood
  within the context of the whole cultural system
  and its specific evolution.

6
Globalization

• Proliferation of information and communication
  technologies (ICTs)
• Developing countries asserting themselves in
  international politics
• Global governance

• Multinational corporations
• Non-government organizations
• Communities of practice
• Civil society

7
At Home

• Every person is unique
• Every person is a member of multiple cultures
• Every interaction influences existing cultural
  ties or forges new ones
• Be aware of your own cultural perspectives and
  articulate them when you feel you might be
  misunderstood
• Respect the cultural perspectives of others and
  seek clarification if you feel you do not
  understand the significance of an interaction