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The attacks in Paris on 13 November 2015 have raised many questions as to what such acts of violence have to do with culture and religion, and how the academic field of intercultural communication could explain these acts. This article argues that it is best to leave out culture as well as religion when trying to come to terms with these and similar acts of horrorrism, to express more than étatique forms of solidarity, to engage in broader and deeper analysis of culture and communication in the various peripheries of society, and above anything else, to use a language ‘that permits knowledge and encourages the mutual exchange of ideas’ (Toni Morrison). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understandings of culture and multiculture are broad and deeply embedded in every day talk and practices. In an increasingly globalised world, how we understand and work with these terms affects how parents and their families experience health care services and the support intended by health care professionals. This is particularly important for parents who are new to Australia. In this paper we report on findings from an ethnographic study undertaken across two community child and family health nursing sites in South Australia. Using examples, we explore how child and family health nurses appear to understand and use constructs of culture and multiculture during everyday, intercultural communication with parents who are new to Australia and Australian health services. By analysing these understandings through postcolonial and feminist theories we found pervading evidence that neo-colonial constructs of a white western monoculture shaped intercultural communication practice. We conclude by reflecting on how these constructs might be addressed to improve intercultural communication in child and family health settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]