Intercultural Communication: Intercultural Communication: Responses to DiversityResponses to Diversity

By Julia Thao

IntroductionIntroduction• Why is this important to you?

Saint Paul College is a great example of a Saint Paul College is a great example of a diverse student body and staff.diverse student body and staff.

On today’s culturally complicated campuses, individuals are indeed in the presence of intercultural events, but more often than not, they are having an ethnocentric experience that they may be ill prepared to construe.

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(Bennett & Salonen, 2007)

Copyright 2008 PresentationFx.com | Redistribution Prohibited | Image © 2008 clix/sxc.hu | This text section may be deleted for presentation.

IntroductionIntroduction• What is intercultural communication?

Intercultural Communication is defined as the symbolic exchange process whereby individuals from two (or more) different cultural communities negotiate shared meanings in an interactive situation.

(Ting-Toomey & Chung, 2005, p.39)

PreviewPreview

• Three general responses to diversity include:

ResistanceResistanceAssimilationAssimilationAccommodationAccommodation

ResistanceResistance

• What is resistance?

Resistance results when groups or individuals refuse to risk changing and either attack the cultural traditions of others or defend their own ways against competing ideas and behaviors.

(Jaffe, 1998, p.52)

ResistanceResistance

• How does resistance occur?

Resistance can occur in many different ways; ranging from being defensively defiant, to challenging and attacking the ideas of others, and in extreme events, in the form of intimidation and violence.

AssimilationAssimilation• What is assimilation?

A second way of responding to cultural differences is to assimilate or give up your beliefs and behaviors---that is, you could reject your own cultural and embrace the beliefs and practices of another group.

(Jaffe, 1998, p.52)

AssimilationAssimilation

• How does assimilation occur?

Assimilation can be in the form of surrendering your personal or cultural beliefs

AccommodationAccommodation• What is accommodation?

Accommodation is a response to diversity in which one listens and evaluates the views of others, adapting, modifying, and bargaining in order to come to workable solutions.

(Jaffe, 1998, p.52)

AccommodationAccommodation

• How does accommodation occur?

Accommodation can be in the form of actively listening to other’s cultural views and ideas. However, an individual may also adjust their lifestyle to fit that of the bigger society.

ConclusionConclusion

• Three general responses to diversity include:

ResistanceResistanceAssimilationAssimilationAccommodationAccommodation

ConclusionConclusion

• In a competitive and diverse world, intercultural communication is essential in everyday life.

• Understanding the three general responses to diversity, not only enables us to correctly interpret another individual’s world views and lifestyle, but also to practice empathy in communication.

Bibliography

• Bennett, J. M., & Salonen, R. (2007). Intercultural Communication and the New American Campus. Change , 39 (2), 46-50.

• Jaffe, C. I. (1998). Public Speaking Concepts and Skills for a Diverse Society. Belmont, California, USA: Wadsworth Publishing Company.

• Ting-Toomey, S., & Chung, L. C. (2005). Understanding Intercultural Communication. New York, New York, USA: Oxford University Press, Inc.

• Yang, S. (2010, November 10). Responses to Diversity. (J. Thao, Interviewer)