The idea of changing places in intercultural communication
Date
2001
Authors
Fedler, Joanne
Olckers, Ilze
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
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.
Description
Keywords
Intercultural communication, Colonial communication, Apartheid communication, Changing places, Other
Citation
Fedler, J., & Olckers, I. (2001). The idea of changing places in intercultural communication. Communitas, 6(1), 1-13.