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This paper investigates how Taiwan is studied in the research of US-based speech communication and journalism. Specifically, Taiwan-related journal articles published by major US-based communication and journalism associations are selected and analysed in terms of their numbers, authorship, and themes. The results indicate that Taiwan studies is a marginalised subject in speech communication and journalism. However, there has been an increasing research interest in Taiwan in the last two decades. These journal articles also record the role of Taiwan in Cold War history, the legacy of 'Free China', and the establishment of two Chinese communication associations in the United States. They explain why the representation of Taiwan is often ambivalent in a 'cultural China' framework in speech communication and journalism. This investigation aims to begin a conversation about how speech communication and journalism research can be more engaged in Taiwan studies, and how research on Taiwan can be more integrated into these two disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systems thinking has dominated debates and policy discourses on inclusive education, resulting in an almost exclusive focus on children and formal schooling. Based on the BAICE Presidential Lecture 2019, this paper considers the limitations of systems theory in framing discussion and research on inclusive education, introducing instead alternative theoretical starting points to analyse vignettes of from Ethiopia, Nepal, the UK and the Philippines. In place of systems theory, the paper takes the lenses of culture as performed, literacy as a social practice and informal learning, to explore inclusive education and analyse intercultural and literacy learning in everyday life. It argues the need to move beyond systems thinking – particularly closed systems – with its default position of school as providing the solutions. Whilst cultural stereotypes can be challenged in school curricula, inclusive education cannot rely on formal institutions alone to initiate changes in attitudes held by teachers, students and the wider community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interculturality is often used in L2 Spanish didactics. However, its theoretical underpinnings are unclear and somehow ideologically biased. This paper clarifies intercultural issues as a core aspect in the field of second language teaching. To this end, it considers contributions from different fields (sociology, pedagogy, hermeneutics, or literature) which focus on the dialogical, social, and cultural condition of the human being. This approach invites a new conception of multiculturality in the humanistic-cultural classroom. Literature, this article proposes, overruns all intercultural boundaries as it represents universals beyond local issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultural psychiatrists and medical anthropologists have collaborated to help clinicians screen for culture-related issues in patient explanatory models of illness and to enhance the clinical processes of engagement, diagnosis, and treatment planning. This effort prioritises patient perspectives on suffering and healing to counter the trend of symptom-based interviews which assume biologically determined models of mental disorders. The 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) includes the Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI), a semi-structured questionnaire for eliciting patient explanatory models. This paper analyses specific linguistic meanings and practices that could account for patient perceptions of improved rapport with clinicians, clinician perceptions of improving information gathering, and cultural models of health and illness during the DSM-5 field trial piloting the CFI. Twenty-seven audiotapes were analysed through the Roter Interaction Analysis System (RIAS), a standardised method for examining medical interviews based on ethnographic studies of small-group communication. After an introduction with procedural and reassurance statements to orient communication, the CFI's open-ended questions elicited patients' opinions on interpersonal, environmental, and biomedical information. Clinicians made facilitation and activation statements for patients to speak more and informed patients about what to expect. Patients constructed cultural models of illness that weaved interpersonal, environmental, and biomedical information. Clinicians and patients made rapport-building statements to each other. A RIAS-derived patient-centred score indicates that CFI sessions addressed patient concerns. Our work offers a way to analyse the discursive construction of culture in health settings and patient-centredness through detailed examinations of linguistic meanings and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reflexivity refers to the capacity for individuals to understand the cultural system and manage their own position within it. Reflexivity is a key concept in the understanding of intercultural communication, particularly in recognising the ability for individuals to understand and adapt to new cultural contexts. However, the prevailing methods used in intercultural communication (namely that of intercultural competencies) do not place a great emphasis on the role of reflexivity in achieving cultural adaptation. In this paper, I argue for the central positioning of the concept of reflexivity in intercultural education as a mechanism which mediates between intercultural experiences and individual behaviour. I present evidence of the reflexive sequence (subject-object-subject) from the reflections of a cohort of students (n = 19). Finally, I suggest a pedagogical instrument (a heuristic) for empirically exploring reflexivity in intercultural communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At a multinational company, daily written communication between staff, supervisors, customers, and suppliers is frequently conducted using digital tools (e.g., emails, smartphones, and texting applications) often across multiple nationally, linguistically, and conceptually defined borders. Determining digital tools' impact on intercultural encounters in professional environments like these is difficult but important given the sheer volume of digital contact in technical and professional environments and the ongoing global struggle to broker peace and productivity amid communities' many perceived differences. Using examples drawn from a case study of binational manufacturing sister companies, I build on recent work in professional, networked written communication to analyze two WhatsApp exchanges, one between a central study participant and his customer, another between the participant and an employee. This study shows how asynchronous digital communication tools created complex "silences" in writing between participants. In these silences (e.g., a lack of or delayed response to a text) individuals try to explain others' actions for themselves. Drawing on a combination of third-generation activity theory and Latourian actor-network theory, I show that while explaining others' actions in writing with whatever cultural shorthand is available may remain a common part of everyday life and research, it can be a poor guide for explaining others' actions, especially in digital writing. My study shows how research of, and instruction in, digital tool use in intercultural writing contexts requires attention to the material conditions and objectives potentially shaping one's own as well as others' composition choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educational migration and academic mobility have turned national universities into multi-ethnic and multilingual educational institutions. With international students coming from abroad and a growing number of students from the various regions of Russia, intercultural communication has become a feature of academic practices for both students and teaching staff. The paper addresses culturally determined specifics of academic communication in the multicultural education space of Russian universities. The purpose of the paper is to present the results of research carried out with the aim of defining the types of cultural indices applying classifications suggested by Edward Hall, Geert Hofstede, Fons Trompenaars and Richard Lewis, and analyse the influence of cultural and ethnic specifics on intercultural communication in the university. Implementation of research on the basis of four Russian universities included surveying and interviewing students as well as analysing the results obtained and case analysis. The key findings made it possible to classify and give a detailed description of the cultures of the post-soviet states as well as several regional cultures of Russia with regard to behavioural patterns. The paper further discusses reasons for communicative failures in the classroom, including linguistic barriers, and ways of preventing and overcoming them. The paper argues that awareness of ethnic and cultural specifics helps to break barriers in intercultural communication in the university and streamline the teaching process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Companies around the world now routinely provide financial information in English for the global investment community. In the interest of greater transparency, companies may also publish a policy that articulates how they intend to communicate with investors in terms of content, timing, and channels. This paper aims to explore the language of investor relations communication policies of Japanese and Italian companies, representing two different national and business cultures. Ad-hoc datasets were compiled from English-language textual materials relating to investor relations communication practices on the websites of companies listed on the Italian FTSE MIB 40 and the Japanese Nikkei 225. The datasets were comparatively analysed with corpus software to extract keywords used when communicating with investors that could reflect distinctive cultural approaches. Results showed that keywords emphasizing social relations characterized the Italian dataset, while those in the Japanese dataset highlighted the normative aspects of financial communication. Follow-up qualitative analysis indicated that the Italian and Japanese companies' approaches were both aligned and unaligned with their presumed cultural orientations. From a pedagogical perspective, the findings can inform ESP courses dealing with financial communication to raise L2 learners' awareness of trends and culturally diverse perspectives in relation to investor relations communication practices. • Investor relations communication policy aims to inform investors and engender trust. • English communication policy texts of Italian and Japanese companies were analyzed. • Italian and Japanese companies had different approaches to engaging with investors. • Results showed both alignment and unalignment with presumed cultural orientations. • Study findings are useful to inform financial communication courses in ESP settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study challenges the separation of pedagogy and theory by researching intercultural communication pedagogies (ICP). We explore the strengths, weaknesses, and unrealized potentiality of ICP, through narratives from intercultural educators across the United States. Interviews with 20 intercultural communication teachers, from a variety of ranks, are utilized to detail how intersectional identities and narrative approaches to teaching strengthen the overarching field of intercultural communication, while intercultural pedagogs as a whole still struggle to create pedagogies of resistance across differential positionalities. Implications of these findings for ICP as a mode of scholarly inquiry are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research problem: Cultural differences may be increasingly important in technical communication. Research is needed to investigate differences in document design practices and user preferences. This study examines cultural differences between Chinese and Western manuals for household appliances. Literature review: Earlier studies identified a wide range of possible differences between Chinese and Western documents, but the findings are not consistent and do not provide more generic perspectives on cultural differences. Possible reasons are the diversity of the documents used, the rather informal research designs, and relatively small sample sizes. Research question: To what extent and how do Chinese and Western manuals for household appliances differ from each other in terms of content, structure, and use of visuals? Methodology: To overcome these shortcomings, a quantitative content analysis was conducted, comparing 50 Chinese manuals and 50 Western manuals for household appliances. The coding scheme was based on earlier research findings and focused on content, structure, and the use of visuals. Results and conclusions: The results show that the content of Chinese manuals is less strictly confined to the function of user support than that of Western manuals. Compared to Western manuals, the structure of Chinese manuals appears to be fuzzier and less rigid. Regarding visuals, Chinese manuals contain more non-instrumental, entertaining illustrations than Western manuals. Underlying these differences is a more general distinction between highly instrumental Western manuals and more flexible Chinese manuals. These differences seem to point to two cultural dimensions: holistic versus analytic thinking and analog versus digital cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the relationship between international cultural and communicative flows, taking as a reference the recommendations of the McBride report published in 1980 as a warning to the concentration of media power in the hands of a small number of countries, a situation that favored uniformity cultural on the planet. These pages aim to update that photograph made by said report from the dissection of the origin and control of the media landscape, as well as its main channels and audiences. Through a qualitative research of the main media conglomerates and the most widely spread international television channels in the world, it is established how the mechanisms of cultural influence on the planet work today. The results of the research do not differ substantially from those of the Mc Bride report and show how the control of the media of the main communication conglomerates continues in the hands of a small group of Western countries and that their messages continue to contribute to the dissemination of economic, political models and hegemonic cultural Despite the prevalence of this dynamic, this article also echoes several responses at the local level, from the creation of communication media based on cultural ties and directed in many cases, to migrant communities in the diaspora, to the appearance of innovative opportunities linked to the development of the digital communication ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine and predict conflict styles in an intercultural conflict from personal values and intercultural communication apprehension (ICA). We used a comparative approach, employing data (N = 455) from Germany (N = 221) and Russia (N = 234) to establish some common patterns and provide a more detailed insight into this phenomenon. As predicted, both countries displayed common patterns of relationships. The self-transcendence values were positively associated with the preference for a collaborating style. Self-enhancement values were positively correlated with the preference for a dominating style, and conservation values with the preference for an avoiding style. A high level of ICA was an obstacle to the adoption of a collaborating style. These findings were discussed within the historical and sociocultural context of these 2 countries. Public Significance Statement: This study shows that personal values and intercultural communication apprehension play a predictive role for conflict style preferences in an intercultural conflict in Russian and German samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative case study investigates the development of intercultural communicative competence (ICC) of US Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets and their goals in learning critical languages. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and data were examined through inductive, thematic analysis. Findings indicate that goals appeared in clusters, with mutually reinforcing goals of military application and personal pleasure. This process affected perceived ICC and gains in sociolinguistic competence, leading to change in attitudes and critical cultural awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the article is to analyze current scientific trends in the field of intercultural communication in the context of globalization and its impact on the self-determination of Transcarpathian Ukrainians. The methodology of the study is to apply a comparative, historical, logical, analysis and synthesis of methods that allow to reveal and analyze certain trends of intercultural communication in Transcarpathia and its impact on the identification of citizens in order to find a dynamic view of the development of intercultural communication in the multi-ethnic region. The scientific novelty of the work is to carry out a theoretical analysis of current trends in intercultural communication in Transcarpathia, taking into account the global trend towards globalization. An analysis of current trends provides a basis for a better understanding of intercultural processes in a multi-ethnic society, its perspectives, and threats. Conclusions. Understanding the development of paradigmatic systems based on the intercultural communication of the region gives a new point of reference for reform activities, in the direction of bringing the region closer to national interests. This should be taken into account when shaping the state's communication strategy in the context of international integration and globalization, which includes the ability to intercultural interaction within the region where we see global trends in intercultural communication, such as globalization, and deteritization with a clear bias in highly contextual society. Intercultural communication as a whole is still characterized by low-context communication (as opposed to communication within the native culture): communicators intuitively understand that their interlocutors foreigners do not have a good knowledge of the local cultural context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication in business often comes with high stakes. To achieve successful communication and positive business outcomes in international and intercultural settings, it is necessary for participants to convey their message effectively and accurately. The success of BELF interactions relies heavily on cooperative behavior, which is essential to meaning negotiation and to the prevention or management of communication problems. Participants in international business interactions highlight the importance of "asking clarifying questions and of checking, double-checking, confirming, and reconfirming" (Louhiala-Salminen -- Kankaanranta 2011: 256). This paper aims at exploring how BELF users interact with other participants to ensure intelligibility and comprehension. Specifically, the use of appeals for assistance and responses will be investigated, the use of which has already been attested in ELF. A qualitative approach will be adopted to analyze naturally-occurring BELF data drawn from business conversations and meetings in the Professional Business and Professional Organizational subsections in the VOICE corpus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the economy globalises the concept of cultural training in business needs a rethink. As this paper explains, the key change is that every area of business increasingly involves multinationals, making the cultural analysis of countries as independent entities increasingly irrelevant. Cultural trainers are having to think in different terms in training businesses to improve performance in new markets, overseas branches, multinational teams, joint ventures and international mergers and acquisitions and above all to create trust. This change is presenting the models developed by thinkers like Hofstede, Trompenaars, Lewis and Meyer in a different light, placing emphasis on the concepts they have developed rather than the countries they apply them to. This paper explores how cultural concepts can be applied to business and suggests practical training activities to raise cultural awareness and improve business performance. The author concludes that cultural training is an aspect of management training, not an extension of language training, although understanding something about the language and even speaking it is important in avoiding misunderstandings and communication breakdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study discusses the problem of competitive specialist training in the field of intercultural contacts and aims to assess the opportunities and main means to improve professional training for competitive specialists, which are considered quality indicators for university education. The authors analyse global educational practices, define the concept of 'profession-oriented training technology', identify relevant problematic affecting the efficiency of vocational training quality, consider general trends and principles for modelling profession-oriented technologies, and argue that applying profession-oriented training technology ensures high quality training results for a competitive specialist whose qualification complies with the world standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The comparative analysis of both institutions showed different ways of intercultural communication in libraries: ŠL cooperates with volunteers from abroad, JCL collaborates with trade unions of national minorities. Differences in intercultural communication are found in this case - different work style and language. Both libraries have been found to work together in joint project activities. Libraries did not have major conflicts in the process of intercultural cooperation, the biggest obstacle (difficulty) was the linguistic barrier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is about specific features of interpersonal communication from the point of view of the determining effects that they have on intercultural communication in Romania. This fact is seen as a social phenomenon with a determining role in forming and sustaining global societies. The general conclusion of the article refers to the possibility of monitoring and knowing the aspects related to the phenomenon of communication between people, in the context of European Union. This data is necessary in order to implement strategies connected to intercultural education in the social space of the Union. We use the database of Eurobarometer 89.1 (2018) from GESIS Data Catalogue, for making a database about Romanians perspectives and attitudes regard the European union society. We want to understand what European union means for Romanians and we conclude these meanings like arguments for integration. We want to show how is build the European identity in order of the possibilities of adapt intercultural education to Romanian society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although various aspects of intercultural communication have been addressed in the works of various authors, there is still a lack of works that describe intercultural communication from the new viewpoint - in terms of effective intercultural business interaction, theoretical analysis of models of the classification of cultures, and combination of theoretical and practical insights in overcoming the obstacles of intercultural interaction. There is also a lack of works that highlight creativity as an integral part of cross-cultural business communication. In the belief of the author of the article, without a close synthesis of these aspects, it is impossible to understand in detail the meaning of effective intercultural business interaction. Purpose of the article - to analyse theoretical and practical aspects of effective cross-cultural business communication based on creativity. In the article, through the use of the models of the classification of cultures of various researchers from around the world (Richard R. Gesteland, Edward T. Hall, Richard D. Lewis, Geert Hofstede, Gert Jan Hofstede, Michael Minkov, Shalom H. Schwartz), the aspects of multiculturalism in the context of intercultural business interaction are highlighted. The work analyses creativity as an integral part of effective cross-cultural business communication. The publication also describes the barriers in the intercultural interaction and ways to overcome it. Research methods used in the work: systematic, comparative, logical analysis and synthesis of scientific literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Researchers' multiple roles are key in drawing boundaries of social responsibility. • The researcher may become a cultural broker to attend needs of migrant populations. • Research ethics should be viewed as a continual and contextual process. • Boundaries of social responsibility need to be constantly re-drawn and negotiated. The perils that migrants face when arriving in a new country are many. To deal with the host community requirements, they often turn to their country people, those who arrived before them, and they build networks that help them manage their new needs and situations. At times, however, when involved in a research project, they also turn to the researcher who can provide help in ways nobody else can. In this paper, I discuss my experience of investigating intercultural communication with migrant physicians in Chile and how, very often, the gatekeepers of my study would require help on matters that could not be addressed through the aims and outcomes of my research. Putting forward the main principles of reciprocity in social research as the basis for the discussion, this article reflects on the boundaries of researchers' social responsibilities and the limits of reciprocity within the qualitative research, in particular, when conducting studies with migrant communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: To understand the interprofessional and intraprofessional communication patterns of overseas qualified nurses as they coordinate care for patients in Australian hospitals. Background: Numerous studies have informed the transitioning experiences of overseas qualified nurses with non‐English‐speaking backgrounds working in English‐speaking workplaces. Only a few observational studies have involved examining the intercultural communication experiences of overseas qualified nurses, and none have considered their intra‐ and interprofessional communication patterns. Design: A qualitative design was adopted, using participant observation and discourse analysis. Methods: This study was from January 2017 to March 2017. Thirteen overseas qualified nurses working in acute, subacute and interventional cardiology settings in a Melbourne metropolitan hospital were shadowed over a period of 12 weeks to collect data that inform their communication patterns. The COREQ checklist was used. Results: This observational study informed by genre analysis revealed that intra‐ and interprofessional communication occurred more commonly under the clinical communication goals of coordinating care and less commonly under facilitating intervention. Communication strategies ranged from structured interactions with use of communication tools to unstructured ad hoc interactions. Analysis of the discourse patterns demonstrated that effectiveness of interactions was affected by hesitancy, lack of assertion and few strategies to manage inadequate or aggressive communication by other team members. Poor clinical communication with peers was not always caused by the nurses from non‐English‐speaking backgrounds. Positive interpersonal interactions with laughter, language‐switching and small talk were evident in interactions with nurses from similar cultural backgrounds but were rare with local colleagues. Conclusion: The linguistic evidence from this study shows variations in communication competency between participants, which emphasises the importance of not viewing overseas qualified nurses' communication training needs as homogenous. With the growing multicultural nature of healthcare teams, this study underscores the need for intercultural communication training for team integration and patient safety. Relevance to clinical practice: Continuous professional development should incorporate intercultural communication training to ensure team effectiveness within nursing teams as well as interprofessional teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research presented in this paper is qualitative in nature and focuses on a number of conversational interchanges that took place either between native and non-native speakers of English or interlocutors who came from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds and who were using English as a lingua franca. The aim of the paper is to explore and account for the reasons underlying the 'misfiring' and communication problems that characterized these conversations. In my analysis I have relied on the socio-cognitive approach of utterance interpretation that fully acknowledges the role of private and actual contexts in governing the speakers' linguistic choices, as well as on the dynamic model of meaning as proposed by Kecskes (2008, 2009, 2010, 2014), that argues for the dynamic construal of meaning as complex and elaborate work shared in by the speaker and the hearer. Adhering to Kecskes' (2008) view that context, especially the private context, plays both a selective and constituting role in co-constructing the common ground by the participants in conversation, I propose that failure to establish the common ground ('skidding on the common ground') in intercultural conversations can be traced to partial differences or similarities between the private contexts of the interlocutors. • Misunderstandings in intercultural communication are best addressed from the viewpoint of the socio-cognitive approach to utterance interpretation. • The intercultural nature of the conversations under analysis imposes a 'contrastive' perspective on the problem of misunderstanding. • Failure to establish common ground seems to result from partial differences between private contexts of the interlocutors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the concept and practices of the Iranian ritual courtesy ta'ârof in northern Tehran, based on field-study findings, and analyses its expression in intercultural communication. It examines how contemporary Iranians perceive ta'ârof, what practices of ritual courtesy are commonly found, and whether configurations of the Iranian code of courtesy remain stable in the changing cultural environment. The study employs the theory of face maintenance and data from Iranian face and diaspora research. It shows emic perceptions of ta'ârof, and reveals its practices in Tehran, alongside tendencies of expression among Iranians living in Lithuania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined intercultural family communication in the context of acculturation. Individuals adapting to a new culture must identify, evaluate, navigate, and negotiate cross-cultural differences that influence their relationships; a process that has received little attention. A qualitative analysis of data collected through interviews with Americans and Swedes generated three themes: gender roles and equality; intergenerational equality, and inclusive/exclusive family units. In Sweden, gender roles are less differentiated than in the U.S.; children are perceived as more equal to adults and allowed more independence; and families are less inclusive. These differences and associated relational dialectics create both challenges and opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While mobile communication technologies have been exploited for instructional second and foreign language (L2) research, authentic mobile instant messaging (MIM) interactions remain virtually unexamined. As a result, decidedly little is known about L2 users' interlinguistic behavior in genuine MIM conversation. This type of communication may nevertheless be of interest to interlanguage pragmatics (ILP) research, particularly for what it may reveal about the intersection of cultures and electronically-mediated communities. This article traces the current state of related research and contemplates some preliminary conceptual and methodological considerations for future inquiries. It first reviews previous L1 and L2 studies involving mobile and instant messaging mediums. From among these, it notes two underexplored concepts which are relevant to ILP: namely, interculture and cultures-of-use. Respectively related to co-constructed culture and communities of practice, these aspects may shed light on and be illuminated by interlinguistic MIM interaction. Finally, the article looks to future investigations and, while not specifying analytical procedures, it recommends emic methods such as conversation analysis for examining these phenomena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This introduction to the special issue offers a brief report on the proceedings from the 16th International Conference on Language and Social Psychology (ICLASP16) and concludes with an invitation to participate in the upcoming ICLASP17 (Hong Kong, 2020). The nine papers selected for this special issue represent the diversity of scholarship and methodology presented at ICLASP16 (held in Edmonton, Canada, 2018). It includes student debut work, student-faculty collaborative pieces, keynote addresses, competitive papers, and an invited state-of-the-scholarship review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The state and conditions of functioning of the Ukrainian language and languages of national minorities in Ukraine have led us to think about finding ways to balance the complex sociolinguistic situation in the country. In this regard, it is no coincidence the direction of modern linguadidactics on communicative and functional learning of designated languages in establishments of secondary education with multiethnic contingent of students. The social role of dialogue, connected with change of socio-cultural connections and cultural codes is becoming more and more important. The forming of global human civilization, numerous transnational and interregional conflicts, need for mutual understanding, cooperation and partnership have determined the relevance of the dialogical form of communication, which has led to a deepening of dialogue not only human thinking but also its civilized existence. The dialogical thinking is necessary for overcoming ideological stereotypes, the monopoly of thought and one-sidedness of globalism, for the forming of a person who would be able to build his relationship on the basis of humanization, finding a reasonable compromise, mutual respect, and tolerance. In the context of conceptual positions of modern rhetoric, the phenomenon of rhetorical dialogue as a unit of rhetorical communication is singled out. It is worth considering the rhetorical dialogue in the prospection of a relativistic aspect of modern rhetoric, taking into account the pragmatic sense of the influence of communicators on each other in the process of harmonizing dialogue, effective and optimal communication. That's why the intercultural dialogue in the process of forming of multilingual personality is defined as rhetorical. In the giving article, the subject of the discussion is highlighting the relevance of the intercultural dialogue as rhetorical on language lessons at schools with polyethnic contingent of pupils, clarification of the main aspects of dialogic interaction of contacting cultures, analysis of groups of national and specific vocabulary for learning by pupils-polylinguals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As English is a lingua franca that has developed along many different pathways with the result that numerous varieties continue to evolve, effective communication requires mutual adjustment and understanding. A considerable body of research on English diversity is focussed on attitudes towards the sociolinguistic reality of English and interactional features in lingua franca contexts. However, very little research has been conducted on the attitudes towards English diversity of students in international education (IE) settings in which adjustment and acceptance are important to communication at all levels. Indeed no research has been done on comparing attitudes of IE settings' local students and those of non-IE students. The purpose of this study is to address this gap in the literature. In this study the participants comprised international students and local Taiwanese students at a university where an international environment has been created via an international college offering degree programmes with English used as the instructional medium and the intercultural means of communication. The study results shed light on how international education of this nature may impact the views of and attitudes towards the sociolinguistic reality of English today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, over half a million Chinese students travelled abroad to study, making China the largest source of international students in the global higher education market. A large Chinese population on campus does not, however, generate prolific interactions between them and local students. Language barriers and cultural distance are frequently cited in the literature as factors that hinder communication, yet it is not clear how they actually affect the communication process. To address this gap, we utilise quantitative and qualitative data collected at one Australian university through an online survey (n = 124) and focus groups (N = 16) to investigate how Chinese international students and local students understand and experience intercultural communication. We find that both student groups are quite positive about language and cultural differences but struggle with comprehension problems and low-quality interactions. Intercultural communication requires interlocutors to establish common grounds between language and cultural variations via meaning negotiation. However, being restricted by intracultural practices and norms, students are not able to fully utilise communication techniques to fulfil this need. This, in return, affects their motivations to have further intercultural interactions. The paper concludes by discussing the implications for universities and suggestions for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study developed a mixed-methods coding scheme to explore the degree of correspondence between Latino patients' and their psychotherapists' descriptions of the presenting problems. We interviewed 34 patients and clinicians (17 dyads) following an initial therapy session. Using a theoretical thematic approach, we generated a list of problem areas reported in participants' descriptions. Independent coders reliably rated the presence and salience of these problems using a quantitative index. We then statistically estimated the fit between corresponding narratives. We found poor congruence across dyads' descriptions of all problem areas, with two exceptions. We also noted patterns of incongruences, primarily characterized by therapists providing explanations that went beyond what their patients said. This study provides an innovative objective approach to estimate the nuanced degrees of concordance within dyads' narratives. Our findings provide initial evidence of poor match between views held by Latino patients and their clinicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In transcultural and transnational communication settings, English learners have to be able to communicate with people from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. For this reason, English as a foreign language (EFL) textbooks, for instance, not only promote Anglo-American and British cultures but also include both EFL learners' home and international cultures. The present discourse study looks at the cultural content of a nationally adopted EFL textbook in Indonesia. It particularly investigates multicultural values represented in the EFL textbook geared for senior high school students. Findings of the study reveal that four themes of multicultural values emerge from the textbook, such as: (1) respect for cultures of different ethnic and religious groups; (2) respect for cultures of indigenous people; (3) conflict avoidance and peace with all forms of life and nature; and (4) appreciation of creative cultural products. The implications of this textual study suggest that as English plays an increasingly important role as a global lingua franca, multicultural materials from outer and expanding circle countries need to be added to English language teaching (ELT) textbooks. Therefore, English teachers should creatively teach multicultural aspects and use multimodal materials to engage students in culturally laden language-learning tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing body of work on the field of what is now known as 'cultural literacy', but little has been written about its application, and even less on how to teach it in the context of higher education. This article discusses 'destabilisation' as an approach to teaching cultural literacy in higher education in the context of the global challenges that universities face today. It defines the characteristics of destabilisation and highlights its advantages in relation to other teaching approaches that have a similar focus on developing cultural competence in students. The article also situates 'destabilisation' as a pedagogical term within a spectrum of experiential learning methods and techniques that are focused on developing cultural competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To provide recommendations for adequately training healthcare providers in intercultural communication skills. We discuss three main recommendations concerning intercultural communication skills training. First, we give an overview of the fundamental skills in which healthcare providers should receive training, such as self-awareness and adaptability. Second, we briefly discuss how such training should be delivered, and focus on different language support methods, including those that work with different types of interpreters and digital tools. Third, we discuss how within-group differences can be taken into account to prevent stereotyping. To illustrate these recommendations, we provide certain examples of existing good practices and interventions. In today's superdiverse societies, delivering culturally and linguistically sensitive healthcare tailored to the needs, values, and preferences of individual patients is a prerequisite for good quality healthcare communication. To achieve this goal, there is a need for clearer recommendations for affirmative action, guidelines, policy, and support for the topic of diversity sensitivity in healthcare, such as evidence-based interventions, than is currently the case. That is, structural changes on a system level are urgently needed to support healthcare providers to implement diversity sensitivity in their daily clinical work. • Training healthcare providers' cultural skills is essential. • Cultural skill training should be integrated in medical curricula. • Intercultural communication should be tailored to the individual patient. • To prevent stereotyping awareness of within-group differences is needed. • System level changes are needed to support healthcare providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the socio-cognitive approach, Liu and Liu (2017) explore the role of metapragmatic expressions (MPEs) in business English as lingua franca (BELF) meeting interactions, and maintain that four types of MPEs, viz., commentaries, speech-action descriptions, message glosses and evidentials, are employed to activate shared sense and current sense to construct emergent common ground of knowledge and affiliation. They also repeatedly claim that BELF interactions lack common ground, core common ground in particular. In this paper, we argue that (i) their claim does not really hold water because the very fact that relevant parties are ready to have a meeting together shows that they already obtain adequate information on the meeting as well as other parties, and hence have shared knowledge (i.e., common ground) of the upcoming event and of one another; and (ii) the functions of MPEs they have highlighted are actually not specific to BELF contexts but applicable to other contexts as well, especially English as lingua franca (ELF) contexts. • It is wrong to claim that business English as lingua franca meeting interactions lack common ground. • Participants are supposed to have shared knowledge of the business transactions and of one another. • The functions of metapragmatic expressions are applicable to English as lingua franca contexts in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reviews literature on emotions within communication settings and proposes that emotions serve as motivations to accomplish social action; these motivations also serve as opportunities to negotiate agency within unfamiliar workplace settings. To exemplify the way this process develops, the author presents a case study of a technical communication intern as she works full-time for a German sales and distribution company. Through reflective self-narratives, the intern describes specific emotions she experiences as she adjusts to this German workplace. These emotions connect directly to decisions the student makes that help her negotiate agency from a "powerless" position, resulting in effective workplace relationships and a competent persona. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the emergence of technical communication as an academic field in China from the perspectives of pedagogy, program building, market needs, professionalization, and local sociopolitical contexts. Highlighting the close disciplinary connections between translation and technical communication, it identifies visionary faculty with overseas experiences as national leaders in curriculum innovation. It also explores the close industry–academia connections facilitated by semi-open WeChat groups and existing approaches to building international partnerships with technical communicators in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented discussing the issue's focus on sociolinguistic identity and community construction.

Gestalt therapy and groups have enjoyed a long and prosperous relationship. It is typical for Gestalt therapists to receive the majority of their instruction, supervision, and mentorship in the "training group" and later to move into a practice, which will involve leading or consulting to a variety of types of groups. The times "they are a changing," and demographic shifts in the United States prompt a reexamination of the theory and practice of Gestalt therapy in groups. Theoretical concepts outlined by this author in 1997 are revisited and assessed for contemporary fit. Alternate "tunings" are recommended; and also that there be ongoing attention to modifying Gestalt theory and practice, so as to be culturally sensitive to group members today and in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study is to reveal the content and identify the features of using the principles of intercultural communication in the process of teaching foreign languages in the educational environment of higher education. The research methodology involves the integrated use of general philosophical and cultural approaches to the realization of the goal of scientific intelligence and a set of linguistic, pedagogical and sociological methods. The scientific novelty of the results lies in the study of the important problems of intercultural communication as a theoretical and methodological basis for students of teaching foreign languages in higher education. Conclusions. Knowledge of the specifics of communicative behavior avoids communication errors and is an important aspect of teaching a foreign language. Studying foreign languages, it is necessary to pay attention not only to the grammatical and lexical composition of the language, but also to the verbal and non-verbal influence of communication. The importance of studying the culture of another nation is beyond doubt. By experience, it is well known that foreign language speakers tolerate speech errors, but often cultural errors are different - they have a negative impression on them, even subconsciously. Thus, a student needs to know the peculiarities of the mentality and culture of a foreign-language socio-cultural group and to understand the importance of using this knowledge in a specific socio-cultural context. One of the best proposals for creating a situation of intercultural communication in class, in our opinion, is using role-playing games in foreign language lessons, where it is possible to «try on» a particular controversial situation and realize itself as a source of conventions adopted in a particular society. Thus, intercultural communication is based on accepting differences, exploring the possibilities of communication, bringing up a new perspective on reality, perceiving a different mentality - everything that is beginning to be perceived as «cultural meaning» in the process of intercultural communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study is to determine the prospects for the development of the library as an intercultural hub. Methodology of the study. The authors have used systemic, cultural-historical, descriptive, and integrative approaches. The scientific novelty lies in the development of the concept of the library as an intercultural hub that requires the emergence of a new way of thinking, as well as in justifying the expediency of this cultural institution in contemporary globalized society. Conclusions. The results of the study lead to the conclusion that the expansion of the functional field of library institutions and transformation of the library into an intercultural hub will facilitate intercultural dialogue, in which different vectors of socio-cultural interaction are not mutually exclusive, but complement each other. The provisions and conclusions drawn in the paper can be used in the development of innovative strategies for library institutions. The authors see the directions of further research in the development of special educational and training programs aimed at training librarians - intercultural leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the article is to reveal the significance and features of intercultural dialogue in library interaction on the basis of foreign experience. The methodology of the research is based on the application of socio-cultural scientific approach in conjunction with sociocommunicative, which allows to reveal and analyze the intercultural dialogue and peculiarities of its organization in the process of library interaction with readers - representatives of different cultures and among library specialists from different countries. The scientific novelty of the article is to broaden the concept of intercultural dialogue as an important process of library user services and the form of library interaction aimed at establishing a common understanding in the context of the development of cultural diversity. Conclusions. 1. The organization of intercultural dialogue as an important aspect of library professional interaction with users and colleagues and partners is sufficiently provided with official documents of the national and international levels. 2. Priority trends in the use of intercultural dialogue in the library sector are service of national minorities, migrants, refugees and users of libraries from other countries and library international cooperation. 3. In the development of the organization of intercultural dialogue in the process of servicing library users and involvement in the library services of broad segments of the polycultural population in foreign experience has become widespread: the creation of "humanistic" libraries, the organization of special services for migrants and refugees, the establishment of intercultural dialogue centers and linguistic divisions in libraries. 4. In the process of international library interaction, the importance of the use of intercultural dialogue is important when organizing and conducting international conferences and implementing joint international projects. 5. Interactive traditional and virtual forms are used to communicate between participants in the intercultural dialogue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of the article is to reveal the status of culturology in the system of scientific knowledge and its connection with world anthropological schools. The conceptual methodological core of the research is system analysis of culturology as a social and cultural phenomenon for the disclosure of its structural and value-semantic aspects; dialogue and historical-comparative methods for understanding the mechanisms of interaction of culturological and anthropological national schools. Scientific Novelty. For the first time, it is scientifically substantiated that the dominant determinants of the formation of culturology as an al ternative to Western cultural and social anthropology are the conflict of traditions of two axiologically different socio-cultural environments and ideological differences in modeling the cultural process in the globalization space (the dichotomy of Western liberal and communist doctrines). It has been established that the vector of development of culturological and anthropological national schools is due to the historical and cultural process and socio-cultural realities; mechanisms of their interaction are revealed. Conclusions. The moderators of the formation of culturology as a science, its subject field and architectonics are revealed. The evolution of the paradigm basis of culturology and its connection with the national anthropological schools are traced: their identity and difference have been established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New generations of International Business (IB) students include the Centennials, also known as Generation Z. These students have experienced their whole life in a virtual and physical reality. They learn differently than previous generations and have an even shorter span of attention than Millennials. We – IB educators – need to acknowledge these changes in students, and propose new educational solutions that keep on preparing them to succeed in the international arena. In this paper, we suggest Virtual Reality (VR) as an innovative, cheaper and effective alternative solution to make IB students practice competencies. Based on Experiential Learning Theory, Social Cognitive Theory and Generational Theory, we offer ideas of several VR applications in the field. As an example, we describe an ongoing VR project using avatars to make students practice negotiation and intercultural communication. We report its preliminary findings. Paper ends with a discussion on VR teaching implications. Today, when multinational organizations are increasing the use of state-of-the-art technologies, initiatives like this can contribute to make IB students to exercise digital competencies too. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we develop a genealogy of international education studies' tenets of culture shock and skills deficit. To trace their emergence, we map the discursive shifts which underpinned cultural anthropology's involvement in the administration of US colonial, domestic, and international affairs respectively in the early 1900s and 1950s. These shifts are concomitantly linked to the formation of the field of intercultural communication, of which popularisation in the form of Hofstede model of "cultural distance" has structured international education when turning from a Cold War tool of total diplomacy to an export industry. Taking the development of international education in Australia as a case study, we demonstrate how the shifts in the disciplinary fields aforementioned are best understood as an anti-racist strategy, which mobilisation of the concept of culture has led to the paradoxical evacuation of the heuristic of race from the lexicon of intercultural contact between "Asian" international students and presumably white host institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Confronted with a natural tendency of marginalization national/ethnic minorities and immigrant communities respond by adopting two diverse strategies of showing their presence in the public sphere of the host country. Depending on the level of their integration and the goals they want to achieve, they can either stress their links (affinity) with the majority culture or the differences that mark them out. However, some minority communities succeed in achieving a distinctive presence in the public sphere already at the stage of launching its own media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nature of culture and its place in foreign-language teaching (FLT) have been explored at considerable length in Western scholarly literature. These topics have also received the attention of FLT scholars in China, which, with its vast educational system and increasing involvement on the international stage, has the potential to provide an instructive contribution to the debate. The Chinese literature is, however, largely unknown outside the Mandarin-speaking world. We therefore conducted an extensive survey of the relevant literature in China, from its inception in 1980 through 2014. Our aim is to provide a relatively comprehensive overview of the main themes and research perspectives, and the development and current state of culture teaching and intercultural communication studies in that country. This paper presents the main findings of that survey, against the background of the history of Chinese EFL syllabi. The survey indicates that culture is principally perceived from an anthropological or sociological perspective as the way of life. Culture learning is predominantly viewed as static knowledge of products, practices and perspectives rather than a dynamic process of meaning making. There has been a gradual transition in pedagogical theory and practice from the transmission of knowledge about culture and cultures to the development of intercultural communicative competence. Some innovative and empirically based ideas have been proposed, but our findings suggest that the question of culture teaching in FLT has not yet been explored in a thorough-going and systematic manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Training of immigrant teachers offers ample opportunities for intercultural interactions, yet it also requires unique sensitivities. On the one hand, immigrant teachers are often qualified and experienced. At the same time, immigration forces them out of their comfort zone, entailing some loss of professional status and self-esteem. The essay suggests letter writing as a method that aims to address these often-neglected aspects in the training of immigrant teachers and is based on a course given to new immigrant English teachers in Israel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]