Intercultural Competence provides students with the tools to succeed in today’s intercultural world. 

Blending both the practical and theoretical, this text offers students the requisite knowledge, the appropriate motivations, and the relevant skills to function competently with culturally-different others. The text provides a discussion of important ethical and social issues relating to intercultural communication and encourages students to apply vivid examples that will prepare them to interact better in intercultural relationships.

Learning Goals

Upon completing this book, readers will be able to:

• Appreciate the impact of cultural patterns on intercultural communication
• Use both practical and theoretical ideas to understand intercultural communication competence
• Understand some of the central contexts – in health, education, business, and tourism – in which intercultural communication occurs
• Discuss cultural identity and the role of cultural biases

Chapter 1: Introduction to Intercultural Competence

Chapter 2: Culture and Intercultural Communication

Chapter 3: Intercultural Communication Competence

Chapter 4: Cultural Patterns and Communication: Foundations

Chapter 5: Cultural Patterns and Communication: Taxonomies

Chapter 6: Cultural Identity and Cultural Biases

Chapter 7: Verbal Intercultural Communication

Chapter 8: Nonverbal Intercultural Communication

Chapter 9: The Effects of Code Usage in Intercultural Communication

Chapter 10: Intercultural Competence in Interpersonal Relationships

Chapter 11: Episodes, Contexts, and Intercultural Interactions

Chapter 12: The Potential for Intercultural Competence

Part 1: Communication and Intercultural Competence

Chapter 1: Introduction to Intercultural Competence

Imperatives for Intercultural Competence

Communication    

The Challenge of Communicating in an Intercultural World    

Chapter 2: Culture and Intercultural Communication

Culture

Why Cultures Differ

Intercultural Communication.

Chapter 3: Intercultural Communication Competence

The United States as an Intercultural Community

Competence and Intercultural Communication

Basic Tools for Improving Intercultural Competence

Chapter 4: Cultural Patterns and Communication: Foundations

Defining Cultural Patterns

Components of Cultural Patterns

Characteristics of Cultural Patterns

Cultural Patterns and Intercultural Competence

Chapter 5: Cultural Patterns and Communication: Taxonomies

Hall’s High- and Low-Context Cultural Taxonomies 

Hofstede’s Cultural Taxonomies

The GLOBE Cultural Taxonomy

A Synthesis of Cultural Taxonomies

Chapter 6: Cultural Identity and Cultural Biases

Cultural Identity

Cultural Biases

Identity, Biases, and Intercultural Competence

Chapter 7: Verbal Intercultural Communication.

The Power of Language in Intercultural Communication

Definition of Verbal Codes

Language, Thought, Culture, and Intercultural Communication

Verbal Codes and Intercultural Competence

Chapter 8: Nonverbal Intercultural Communication

Characteristics of Nonverbal Codes

Cultural Universals in Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal Functions in Intercultural Communication

Cultural Variations in Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal Messages in Intercultural Communication

Synchrony of Nonverbal Communication Codes

Nonverbal Communication and Intercultural Competence

Chapter 9: The Effects of Code Usage in Intercultural Communication

Preferences in the Organization of Verbal Codes

Cultural Variations in Persuasion

Cultural Variations in the Structure of Conversations

Effects of Code Usage on Intercultural Competence

Chapter 10: Intercultural Competence in Interpersonal Relationships

Cultural Variations in Interpersonal Relationships

The Maintenance of Face in Interpersonal Relationships

Improving Intercultural Relationships

Interpersonal Relationships and Intercultural Competence

Chapter 11: Episodes, Contexts, and Intercultural Interactions

Social Episodes in Intercultural Relationships

Contexts for Intercultural Communication

Episodes, Contexts, and Intercultural Competence

Chapter 12: The Potential for Intercultural Competence

Intercultural Contact

The Ethics of Intercultural Competence

The Perils and Prospects for Intercultural Competence

Resources

Intercultural Films

Online Resources

Notes

Credits

Author Index

Subject Index

• Full-color visuals enhance the easy-to-read format of the text.
• More emphasis is given to the use of current technologies that affect intercultural communication.
• New “Culture Connections” boxes appear throughout the text.
• The “For Discussion” questions and “For Further Reading” suggestions have been updated substantially.
• The back-of-book “Resources” section now includes detailed information about the cultural patterns of specific groups on the Hofstede, Globe, and Schwartz cultural taxonomies.
• MySearchLab with eText can be packaged with this text.
  • MySearchLab provides engaging experiences that personalize learning, and comes from a trusted partner with educational expertise and a deep commitment to helping students and instructors achieve their goals.
  • eText — Just like the printed text, you can highlight and add notes to the eText or download it to your iPad.
  • Assessment — Chapter quizzes and flashcards offer immediate feedback and report directly to the gradebook.
  • Writing and Research — A wide range of writing, grammar and research tools and access to a variety of academic journals, census data, Associated Press newsfeeds, and discipline-specific readings help you hone your writing and research skills.

Chapter 1

• The sections on “Imperatives for Intercultural Competence” and “The Challenge of Communicating in an Intercultural World” have been updated and improved.

Chapter 3

• The “Metaphors for Cultural Diversity” in Chapter 3 have been revised, and the ideas are now more tightly integrated with the discussion of acculturation in Chapter 12.

Chapter 4

• The language describing Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck's taxonomy has been updated.

Chapter 5

• Chapter 5, on cultural taxonomies, has been extensively revised.
• The new material includes major updates and additions to the ideas of Geert Hofstede and the GLOBE researchers, an examination of Shalom Schwartz’s ideas on the dimensions of culture, and a synthesis of the various cultural taxonomies.

Chapter 8

• Chapter 8 has been substantially revised to reflect current ideas about nonverbal communication in intercultural interactions.
• A discussion of the functions of nonverbal communication has been added.
• The analysis of the types of nonverbal messages has been reorganized and updated.

Chapter 9

• Minor updates in the examples and the substantive findings are included throughout the chapter.

Chapter 11

• Chapter 11 has been revised and updated to reflect current ideas related to the health care, education, and business contexts.

Chapter 12

• The section on “Intercultural Contact” has been substantially changed, and an elaborated discussion of tourism has been added.

• An easy-to-read conversational style and full-color design makes the concepts in the book accessible to students.
• A healthy blend of the practical and the theoretical provides both a thorough grounding in the conceptual ideas and an applied orientation that makes those ideas tangible.
• "Culture Connections" boxes give students a chance to apply what they have read to real-world examples.  
• A chapter on cultural identity and the role of cultural biases includes discussion of ethnocentrism, stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination, and racism.
• Coverage of communication accommodation theory, anxiety/uncertainty management theory, expectancy violations theory, conversational constraints, and interpersonal dialectics provide a broad range of theoretical concepts.
• Emphasis on intercultural relationships and inclusion of important non-Western concepts provide a well-rounded, comprehensive discussion for students.
• Special attention is paid to the impact of technology on intercultural communication.
• “For Discussion” questions conclude each chapter and can be used to guide in-class conversations or can be the basis for short, focused assignments.
• “For Further Reading” suggestions provide additional information on the topics presented.
• MySearchLab with eText can be packaged with this text.
• MySearchLab provides engaging experiences that personalize learning, and comes from a trusted partner with educational expertise and a deep commitment to helping students and instructors achieve their goals.
• eText – Just like the printed text, you can highlight and add notes to the eText or download it to your iPad.
• Assessment – Chapter quizzes and flashcards offer immediate feedback and report directly to the gradebook.
• Writing and Research – A wide range of writing, grammar and research tools and access to a variety of academic journals, census data, Associated Press newsfeeds, and discipline-specific readings help you hone your writing and research skills.
• MediaShare—A comprehensive file upload tool that allows students to post speeches, outlines, visual aids, video assignments, role plays, group projects, and more in a variety of formats including video, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Structured much like a social networking site, MediaShare helps promote a sense of community among students. Uploaded files are available for viewing, commenting, and grading by instructors and class members in face-to-face and online course settings. Integrated video capture functionality allows students to record video directly from a webcam to their assignments, and allows instructors to record videos via webcam, in class or in a lab, and attach them directly to a specific student and/or assignment. In addition, instructors can upload files as assignments for students to view and respond to directly in MediaShare. Grades can be imported into most learning management systems, and robust privacy settings ensure a secure learning environment for instructors and students.

Dr. Myron W. (Ron) Lustig is a renowned teacher, writer, scholar, and researcher. After receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, he had a distinguished career as a professor of communication at San Diego State University (SDSU). He is now an emeritus professor at SDSU, a past president of the Western States Communication Association (WSCA), and a recent recipient of WSCA’s Distinguished Service Award, its highest honor. He is a former editor of Communication Reports and is currently on the editorial boards of several intercultural communication journals. His teaching and research interests include intercultural, group, and interpersonal communication theories, methods, and processes. Dr. Lustig has written 9 books or book revisions, over 30 scholarly research articles, and numerous conference papers. During several recent spring semesters, he has gained additional practical and theoretical lessons about Intercultural Competence while teaching intercultural communication to undergraduate and graduate students at Shanghai International Studies University.

Dr. Jolene Koester was president of California State University, Northridge, one of the largest and most diverse campuses in the 23-campus California State University system, from 2000-2011. Under her leadership, the University improved graduation and retention rates, created a user-friendly campus, strengthened connections with the community, and increased fundraising. She also worked to make the University more learning-centered and focused on student success. Known nationally for her leadership in higher education, she currently serves on the board of directors of NAFSA, an association of international educators. She is also a past chair of the Board of Directors for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, a former president of the Western States Communication Association, and remains active in issues related to higher education access and leadership. After earning a Ph.D. in speech communication from the University of Minnesota, she began her academic career as a professor of communication studies at California State University, Sacramento, and served in a variety of administrative positions there, including provost and vice president for academic affairs, prior to her appointment as president of Cal State Northridge.