Intercultural communication, world Englishes, and interculturality

Abstract

Intercultural communication is a human encounter that is managed according to cultural systems, such as national identities. Although cultural systems permeate across time and space through all facets of life, intercultural communication research has a narrow empirical focus. That is, the work done by intercultural communication researchers is defined by its focus on interculturality. This interest in understanding interculturality is commensurate with world Englishes scholarship; that is, the latter field of study is committed to understanding the social and cultural dimensions of English. As the contributors of this special issue demonstrate, which includes an editorial introduction, a research bibliography, and 11 contributions from a diverse group of scholars looking at a range of contexts, such as Bahrain, South Africa, China, Turkey, and the Netherlands, the relationship between intercultural communication and world Englishes is helpful in understanding numerous empirical issues that are situated at the boundaries of language, communication, and society.