Among Cultures: The Challenge of Communication (with InfoTrac) / Edition 2

by Bradford J. Hall

Overview

Organized around basic questions related to intercultural interaction, this text explores how culture and communication are intimately related. The author explores topics not typically found in other texts, such as the roles of rituals and social dramas, and he provides an extensive and relevant discussion of differing worldviews. Making extensive use of narrative to help promote interest and learning, the text is geared to practical applications which students can incorporate into their own lives and interactions with others.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780534642488
Publisher:	Cengage Learning
Publication date:	06/16/2004
Edition description:	REV
Pages:	400
Product dimensions:	6.44(w) x 9.18(h) x 0.10(d)

About the Author

Bradford 'J' Hall is Chair of the Communication and Journalism Department at the University of New Mexico. He loves teaching courses in intercultural communication, research methods, communication theory and the connections between language and action. His research has been published in such journals as Communication Monographs, Communication Theory, Human Relations, The International Journal of Intercultural Relations, Human Communication Research, and International Journal of Conflict Management.

Table of Contents

1. What is Meant by Intercultural Communication? 2. What is the Relationship Between Communication and Culture? 3. How Can We Learn About Our Own and Others'' Cultures? 4. How is Culture Related to Our Identities? 5. Where Can We Look to Explain Verbal Misunderstandings? 6. Where Can We Look to Explain Nonverbal Misunderstandings? 7. Why Do So Many People Get Treated Poorly? 8. How Can We Manage Conflict in Intercultural Settings? 9. How Can We Succeed in Our Intercultural Travels? 10. What Diversity Exists in the Study of Intercultural Communication? 11. Can Judgments of Right or Wrong Be Made When Dealing with Other Cultures?

Editorial Reviews

"The (narrative) approach is the main virtue of the book. It enables the students to experience cultures through story-telling, which bring the theoretical concepts to life. I also appreciate the inclusion of Hymes' framework because it gives the students an ethnographic approach to studying cultures that they can apply immediately."

"I love the fresh perspective of this book. I greatly appreciate the narrative basis for this book. The textbook then offers us even more diverse perspectives for gaining that cognitive complexity that helps us refrain from judging other cultures in a negative way."

From the Publisher