Introduction

Roland Sussex

Andy Curtis

pp. 1-18

in: Andy Curtis, Roland Sussex (eds), Intercultural communication in Asia, Berlin, Springer, 2018

Abstract

In the modern world intercultural communication is increasing rapidly, as people and their messages become more mobile. Asia is one of the areas where this increase is particularly evident, as its nations and peoples are becoming richer and more mobile than before. Effective communication between languages and cultures, whether between homeland languages or using an international language like English, requires enhanced levels of linguistic competence and intercultural understanding. There has been a corresponding surge of activity in pure and applied research into intercultural communication in Asia. One aspect of this work has involved English, especially American English, as a vehicle of communication. And even where studies of intercultural communication have involved Asian languages, the dominant frameworks from the literature have been Western in terms of theory and methodology, and in the parameters of intercultural communication, such as the "individualism ~ collectivism" dichotomy/continuum which were proposed by scholars like Hofstede (1984).This book explores the challenges now facing intercultural communication in relation to cultural boundaries, to ideology and values, and for institutions and individuals in an internationalising environment, especially educationally. Its eleven chapters address models, values and communication, English as a lingua franca, three key focal areas (city landscape, pain and humour), and identity.