Basic Concepts of Intercultural Communication: Selected Readings

How do people understand one another when they do not share a common cultural experience?This is the first fundamental question posed in editor Milton J. Bennett's Basic Concepts of Intercultural Communication. The ideas contained in this collection have been assembled from time-tested classics and more contemporary viewpoints. Bennett has selected and ordered the articles in developmental sequence to generate a coherent conceptual picture of how to successfully communicate with other cultures. The names of some of these articles speak for themselves:Communication in a Global Village, Dean BarnlundThe Power of Hidden Differences, Edward T. HallBlack and White Cultural Styles in Pluralistic Perspective, Thomas KochmanCultural Assumptions and Values, Edward C. Stewart, Jack Danielian and Robert J. FosterStumbling Blocks in Intercultural Communication, LaRay M. BarnaTransition Shock: Putting Culture Shock in Perspective, Janet M. BennettBeyond Cultural Identity: Reflections on Multiculturalism, Peter S. AdlerThese articles bring home the concepts of intercultural communication in a breadth of perspective that anyone interested in the subject will find both intellectually stimulating and relevant to his or her personal, educational or professional concerns.This innovate collection, with its developmental learning focus, explores the core building blocks of intercultural communication. The introductory chapter lays out a coherent, theory-to-practice foundation in explaining everyday intercultural interactions. This timely volume, with its provocative set of essays, illuminates the complexities of intercultural relations. The book will be widely read by educators, trainers, counselors, managers and anyone who is curious about the field of intercultural communication.-Stella Ting-Toomey, International Journal of Intercultural Relations Contents Preface Acknowledgments Introduction 1 Communication in a Global Village 2 The Power of Hidden Differences 3 Multicultural Education 4 Science and Linguistics 5 Culture: A Perceptual Approach 6 Interactions Between North Americans and Japanese: Considerations of Communication Style 7 Black and White Cultural Styles in Pluralistic Perspective 8 Cultural Assumptions and Values 9 Stumbling Blocks in Intercultural Communication 10 Overcoming the Golden Rule: Sympathy and Empathy 11 Transition Shock: Putting Culture Shock in Perspective 12 Beyond Cultural Identity: Reflections on Multiculturalism Additional Readings Author Index Subject Index

Milton J. Bennett served in the Peace Corps in Micronesia, received his doctorate in communication from the University of Minnesota, and has taught communication at Portland State University. He is currently a co-director of The Intercultural Communication Institute in Portland, Oregon. He is also the co-author of American Cultural Patterns, with Edward C. Stewart.