Welcome!

This free Open Education Resource was created to support students enrolled in an upper-division intercultural communication college course but can be used for anyone wanting to learn more about different cultures and intercultural communication competency. Intercultural Communication provides a thorough understanding of the complexities involved in communication through multicultural contexts. The book begins with a foundational overview of intercultural communication theories and concepts, and then moves on to discuss intercultural communication within the specific contexts of identity formation, family dynamics and structure, historical contexts, religious practices, communication methods, and business models.

Each part includes discussion questions culled from the original sources, as well as suggested homework exercises. Enrichment activities are also included within each chapter. This course is designed to build upon each part, meaning that the best way to read this book and work through the course is chronologically, starting with Part One and ending with Part Eight.

I hope you enjoy reading this OER as much as I enjoyed editing it!

Sincerely,

Kathryn A. Weinland, Ph.D.

Teaching Associate Professor

Table of Contents

Part One: Importance and Foundations of Intercultural Communication

Part Two: Intercultural Identity and Identity Development

Part Three: Intercultural Relationships of Family and Education

Part Four: Religion and Culture

Part Five: Challenges in Intercultural Communication

Part Six: History of Major Cultures

Part Seven: Verbal and Nonverbal Messages Across Cultures

Part Eight: Business Practices and Economic Principles Across Cultures