Multicultural Communication / Ethics

Multicultural Communication
Institution
Date
Introduction
The 21st Century is characterized by an increasing number of contacts resulting in communication between people with diverse cultural inclinations. Communication has taken the center stage because of the contacts within the domains of business, education, research, tourism, mass media and entertainment, immigration, and science. Communication, therefore, plays a vital role in alleviating all forms of breakdowns and misunderstanding. It is through intercultural communication that individuals and organizations come to realize, create, understand, and transform the cultures and identities available. Intercultural communication involves the aspect of communication between people with different cultural inclinations and identities.
Dialectic in Understanding Intercultural Communication
Dialectic is a relationship between two opposing concepts that continually push and pull one another. According to Carlos, Sanchez, Luciara & Richard, a dialectical intellectual viewpoint is a metatheoretical structure that focuses on the concurrent availability of two forces that relate to interaction in recognition of their opposite, interdependent, and complementary aspects. Dialect in a lay man's language merely emphasizes that difference and similarity have the capacity to coexist in intercultural communication interactions. According to my understanding, dialect bridges the gaps between the differences that accrue from various cultural groups, and also interweaves the similarities that unite individuals from diverse cultures.
A dialectical approach is one that emphasizes the relational, processual, and contradictory nature of intercultural communication. This approach gives an individual a variety of intercultural knowledge. Cultures according to this approach change as so do individuals. Thinking and seeing things dialectically helps us realize that our experiences often transpire in between two different phenomena. This aspect is important in intercultural communication since it portrays the manner in which individuals think as dialectically relational. This means we tend to look at the relationship created between different aspects of intercultural communication rather than viewing them in a state of isolation
Intercultural communication occurs in what is termed as a dynamic in –betweenness that, when conducted on individuals in an encounter creates a unique change beyond the individual. Holding this approach is challenging since it incorporates two contradictory ideas simultaneously, a factor that goes beyond what we have been taught. It is on this account that we should ascertain that thinking dialectically enables us to see the complexity of culture and identity because this approach does not open doors for dichotomies (Carlos, et.al 2013). Dichotomies are dualistic methods of thinking that highlights the opposites, thus reducing the ability to see the gradations existing between concepts.
Dialects according to Elizabeth, is divided into six major classes. The cultural-individual dialectic, which captures the interplay between a stream of behaviors adopted by a cultural group and an individual’s actions that, may be inclined to those of a larger culture. The personal-contextual dialectic, on the other hand, highlights the connections between our personal behavior patterns and preferences for communicating and how various aspects influence the individual. The differences-similarities dialectic also allows us to see ourselves in light of simultaneously similar to and different from others. The history/past-present/future dialectic in this account reminds us that our current cultural conditions are relevant both now and in affecting the future (Elizabeth, 2013). Lastly, the privileges-disadvantages dialectic captures the complex interrelation of unearned, systems advantages and disadvantages that function among our diverse identities
Example of Intercultural Experiences That Reflects Difference and Similarities Dialectic
The dialectical approach in this instance reorganizes the significance of similarities and differences in understanding intercultural communication. According to this approach, real differences exist between different cultural groups. Women and men are also perceived to communicate differently in some contexts. In real life, it is imperative to understand that there are many similarities and differences in human experiences and how they communicate. For example, recently at our work station Ms. B. (whose name and cultural background are withheld due to confidentiality), came in for a party that was organized for the workers. The dressing code was meant to be casual. In her cultural understanding of casual, she wore a hot pant and a top dress that hardly reached went bellow her belly. On her feet she had sandals and it appeared that she was not bothered by anything. However, most of the reserved workers who also wore casual clothes as influenced by their cultural orientations felt this was lack of dignity.
A closer understanding of this case reveals a lot of truths that need to be desired. In Ms. Bs culture, women were allowed to wear such clothes in the event that one was attending a social function or was going out for recreational activities. To Ms. B this was normal but to the other workers it appeared awkward. These are the differences that arise in understanding diverse cultural groups in intercultural communication.
According to Fitzgerald (2013), there is a tendency in which group differences in intercultural communication are overemphasized thus leading to a false dichotomy and rigid expectations. However, similarity and difference can coexist in intercultural communication and interaction. For example, two couples newly married and from different countries hold different views about the institution of marriage. As couples, they share the same joy of having entered a lifetime commitment in marriage, but differences in national culture, age, religion, beliefs and values may lead to different views on marriage. O...