Christine Fox

The authenticity of intercultural communication

Abstract This article presents some critical reflections on the question of whether authentic intercultural communication is possible across cultures which have very different normative discourses. It responds to the somewhat sceptical view of David Corson in his article published in this journal (Corson, 1995: IJIR, 19, 183–195) who suggests that there is little likelihood of achieving authentic intercultural communication across very different cultures, except at a rather superficial level. But authenticity in a communicative situation is not superficial or easily come by. It is an honourable kind of conversation, based on mutual trust and respectful sharing of intended meanings. This article puts forward arguments why the concept of cultural incompatibility could be construed as a Eurocentric view which tends to lead to stereotyping, and the continued marginalisation, of non-European cultures. It also contends that compatibility cannot be explained through commonly accepted theories of effective cross-cultural adaptation, or adaptation to a host culture. One-way adaptation is not the same as authentic intercultural interaction. This article explores a three-tier model of intercultural communication, showing how successful, authentic intercultural communication is indeed possible in complex areas. It shows how people with perhaps contrastive world views, or possibly even fairly similar world views, can bridge deep chasms of discursive difference if they work together to create intercultural communicative situations. The article concludes by stressing how urgent it is in todays world to develop the capacity to communicate interculturally.

Enhancing Intercultural Communication among Business Communication Students

Abstract The issue of international students in the tertiary classroom is of broad significance across disciplines as evidenced, for example, in the work of Ladyshewsky (1996), Pe‐Pua (1995), and Romm, Paterson and Hill (1994). The need for university instructors to employ teaching strategies that are student‐centred and interactive has also been gaining attention in recent literature, for example, in the work of Biggs (1992, 1997), Chalmers and Volet (1997), and McKay and Kember (1997). This article presents some practical teaching strategies employed in an undergraduate Business Communication class that, in our experience, provide a context that encourages student interaction and participation to the mutual benefit of both local and international students. Data collection procedures included an open‐ended questionnaire, observation of students, informal and unstructured discussions and reflective journals of students and tutor. The conclusions drawn here suggest that these strategies not only enhance cl...

Postcolonial dilemmas in narrative research

Narrative research methodology embraces multiple ways of representing lived experience discursively, regardless of a participants levels of literacy, education or formal occupation. This article explores some of the dilemmas of ‘doing’ narrative research in comparative and international education, with particular emphasis on the postcolonial agenda internationally. The first part of the article explores the current postcolonial context in which narrative research is taking place. From there, a narrative exploration of a particular context, based on research carried out in Sri Lanka, highlights issues of power, language and ideology. This storied discussion illustrates ways in which the narratives of the empowered and the disempowered reveal the complex interrelationships of language and power. Three key methodological dilemmas are examined, and a suggested framework is given to deal with such dilemmas. In sum, this paper is a journey of discovery of narrative research.

The Impact of Immigration on School Education in New South Wales, Australia.

Australias immigration policies have had a dramatic effect on school populations, especially in the state of New South Wales which receives about 40 percent of the intake. This article is based on a study that was carried out for the Bureau of Immigration, Multicultural and Population Research and the NSW Ministry of Education. The study revealed that many non-English-speaking background pupils miss out on English as a second language instruction, community languages are allowed to lapse, and aspects of the school environment, such as relations between different groups, are not given the attention that they deserve.

Future Directions for Comparative Education Dialogue in the Asia-Pacific Region.

The broad goals of the World Council of Comparative Education Societies (WCCES) are: (1) to advance education for international understanding in the interests of peace, intercultural co-operation, mutual respect among peoples and observance of human rights; and (2) to improve education systems so that the right of all to education may be more fully realized. The Council comprises representatives of 39 national, regional or language-based comparative education societies. In all, membership of these societies is spread throughout every continent (other than Antarctica) in more than 80 nations. The WCCES has a unique leadership role in promoting comparative education dialogue. Two key concepts are highlighted in this paper: those of regionalism, and of partnership. The first concept, regionalism, is discussed in relation to shifting alliances and realignments of political, ideological and geographic borders occurring in the name of globalization, and their impact on regional priorities for educational reform. The second concept, that of partnership, is discussed in relation to both successful international policy and planning agreements, and the more controversial nature of so-called “development” partnerships for international educational assistance. The complexities of Asia-Pacific regional connections form the background framework for the paper. Education comparativists from the Asia-Pacific region are demonstrating active leadership in furthering dialogue in comparative and international education.

The Australian and New Zealand Comparative and International Education Society (ANZCIES)

The Australian Comparative Education Society (ACES) was founded in 1973. Beginning as a national society in Australia, it soon formed links with scholars in neighbouring New Zealand. In its 10 year, the society became a regional body and was renamed the Australian and New Zealand Comparative and International Education Society (ANZCIES). It was the second regional member society of the World Council of Comparative Education Societies (WCCES), after the Comparative Education Society in Europe (CESE). At the 2006 annual conference, participating scholars from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Korea, Japan and Vietnam called for ANZCIES to become even more regionally representative. This call may portend a new era for comparative and international education in the region, and echoed earlier proposals to hold conferences in Fiji as a means to foster regional participation. Although still of modest size, ANZCIES has exercised strong influence in comparative and international scholarship, and is helping to develop a new generation of internationallyoriented scholars throughout the Asia-Pacific region. This history has been compiled largely through the recollections of ANZCIES members who have remained with the society since its beginnings, from a search through minutes of meetings and members’ personal archives, and through the annual conference proceedings where available. ANZCIES has not maintained full records of its history, but it is hoped that the society will continue to gather historical and contemporary data as a result of this WCCES Histories Project.