Intercultural Communication: Roots and Routes

As worldwide travel and contact increase, intercultural communication competence becomes a powerful imperative that goes beyond traditional approaches. The authors' travel experiences in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North and South America and their interactions with people during their travels echo in the book through stories and ideas that have enriched their perspectives. Their firsthand experiences combined with their scholarship offer readers insight into and knowledge of the field of intercultural communication. Offering a unique treatment of intercultural communication culled from the global experiences of its authors, Intercultural Communication: Roots and Routes examines intercultural communication against the background of a rapidly-transforming world, both culturally and linguistically. This book focuses on the inseparable relationship between cultural roots and the communicative consequences of humans' confrontation with diversity. Using the metaphors of process and movement-- "roots and routes"-- to capture the ongoing dynamism of intercultural communication, this book demonstrates how theory animates intercultural performance. These metaphors are used as powerful tools for understanding how primary places and things such as home, family, experiences, immigration, food, prejudices, perceptions, popular culture, race, gender, and customs and traditions, help to shape what people think, feel, and do as they interact in an increasingly complex world. Anyone interested in expanding their knowledge of intercultural communication on a personal or professional level.

A text intended for college students and for others involved with intercultural communications. A conceptual framework is presented in the first chapter, followed by discussion of such topics as communication and context, cultural foundations, stereotypes and prejudice, nonverbal communication, economics, media, and how to become a competent communicatOR (booknews.com) Each chapter includes questions, activities, and references. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)