The idea of changing places in intercultural communication

Abstract

This article explores the idea of "changing places" in intercultural communication within the context of the class room and the courts in our communities. The authors argue that in order to address the legacy of colonial and apartheid inspired communication, new approaches grounded in introspection, selfcriticism and evaluation are helpful. Changing places with those who are different from ourselves facilitates diversity literacy. Operating first at the cognitive level, it requires us to gain information about the Other in order to move beyond our comfort zones and to disrupt the ease of our ignorance. Secondly, it requires us to empathically and imaginatively extend ourselves to a level of feeling or experiencing the reality of the Other.