CHAPTER 4

A DIALECTICAL APPROACH TO UNDERSTANDING CULTURE AND

COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION

The social science, interpretive, and critical approaches operate in

interconnected and sometimes contradictory ways.

Rather than advocating any one approach, there is a dialectical approach

to intercultural communication research and practice.

The dialectical approach emphasizes the processual, relational, and

contradictory nature of intercultural communication, which encompasses many
different kinds of intercultural knowledge.

(processual refers to how interaction happens rather than to the outcome)

Dialectical Approach: An approach to intercultural communication that

integrates three approaches functionalist (or social science), interpretive, and
critical in understanding culture and communication. It recognizes and accepts
that three approaches are interconnected and sometimes contradictory.

First, with regard to the processual nature of intercultural communication,

it is important to remember that cultures change, as do individuals.

Intercultural communication studies provide a static but fleeting picture of

the cultural groups.

It is important to remember that the adaptation, communication, and other

patterns identified are dynamic and ever changing, even if the research studies
only provide a snapshot in time.

Second, a dialectical perspective emphasizes the relational aspect of

intercultural communication study. It highlights the relationship among various
aspects of intercultural communication and the importance of viewing these
holistically rather than in isolation.

The key question becomes, Can we really understand culture without

understanding communication, and vice versa?

A third characteristic of the dialectical perspective involves holding

contradictory ideas simultaneously.

This notion may be difficult to comprehend because it emphasizes

dichotomous thinking.

Dichotomies such as good and evil, arteries and veins, and air and
water form the core of our philosophical and scientific beliefs.

The fact that dichotomies such as far and near, high and low, and long and
short sound complete, as if the two parts belong together, reveals our tendency
to form dichotomies.

Certainly, we can learn something from each of the three traditional

approaches, and our understanding of intercultural communication has been
enriched by all three.

Combining these approaches provides us with extensive insight into the

problems and challenges of intercultural ventures.
Clearly, if we limit ourselves to a specific research orientation, we may fail to see
the complexities of contemporary intercultural interaction in contexts.
SIX DIALECTICS OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

We can identify six dialectics that characterize intercultural

communication. There can be others as you learn more about intercultural
communication.

Dialectic:

1. A method of logic based on the principle that an idea generates its

opposite, leading to a reconciliation of the opposites;
2. The complex and paradoxical relationship between two opposite
qualities or entities, each of which may also be referred as a dialectic.
(a method of examining and discussing opposing ideas in order to find the
truth)
Cultural Individual Dialectic:

Intercultural communication is both cultural and individual, or idiosyncratic

that is, you may have some behaviors not shared by anyone else, perhaps a
unique way of wrinkling your nose or unique way of using language.

It is important to remember that communication for all of us is both

cultural and individual. We need to keep this dialectic in mind as we try to
understand and develop relationships across cultural differences.
Personal Contextual Dialectic:

This dialectic involves the role of context in intercultural relationships and

focuses simultaneously on the person and the context.

Although we communicate as individuals on a personal level, the context

of this communication is important as well. In some contexts, we enact specific
social roles that give meaning to our messages.

As students and professors, we communicate in particular ways in

classroom contexts, and our messages are interpreted in particular ways.


In understanding intercultural communication, we have to understand that
we sometimes communicate as members of social groups ,yet we also always
communicate from our personal identities.
Differences Similarities Dialectic:

Intercultural communication is characterized by both similarities and

differences, in that people are simultaneously similar to and different from each
other.

For example, Japanese and U.S. Americans communicate differently, just as

do men and women.

However, there also are many similarities in human experiences and ways
of communicating.

Emphasizing only differences can lead to stereotyping and prejudice (e.g.,

that women are emotional or that men are rational); emphasizing only similarities
can lead us to ignore the important cultural variations that exist.

Therefore, we try to emphasize both similarities and differences and ask

you to keep this dialectic in mind.
Static - Dynamic Dialectic:

This dialectic suggests that intercultural communication tends to be at

once static and dynamic.

The static dynamic dialectic highlights the ever-changing nature of

culture and cultural practices but also underscores the tendency to think about
these things as constant.

Some cultural and communication patterns remain relatively constant,

whereas other aspects of cultures (or personal traits of individuals) shift over
timethat is, they are dynamic.
History/Past Present/Future Dialectic:

Another dialectic emphasizes the need to focus simultaneously on the

past and the present in understanding intercultural communication.

On the one hand, we need to be aware of contemporary forces and

realities that shape interactions of people from different cultural groups.

On the other hand, we need to realize that history has a significant impact
on contemporary events.
Privilege Disadvantage Dialectic:

A dialectical perspective recognizes that people may be simultaneously

privileged and disadvantaged, or privileged in some contexts and disadvantaged
in others.


For example, many tourists are in the position of economic privilege
because they can afford to travel, but in their travels, they also may be
disadvantaged if they do not speak the local language.

We can also be simultaneously privileged and disadvantaged because of

gender, age, race, socioeconomic status, and other identities.
Summary

A dialectical approach emphasizes a processual, relational, and holistic

view of intercultural communication, and it requires a balance of contradictory
views.

Intercultural communication is both cultural and individual, personal and

contextual, characterized by differences and similarities, static and dynamic,
oriented to both the present and the past, and characterized by both privilege
and disadvantage.