ASSOSA UNIVERESITY

COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY

AN ASSESSMENT OF INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION OF ASSOSA

UNIVERSITY STUDENTS.

A SENIOR RESEARCH PROPOSAL SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF

SOCIOLOGY FOR THE PARTIAL FULFILLEMENT ON BACHELOR DEGREE IN
SOCIOLOGY

ADVISOR: -MEGERSA (M.A)

Name ID Number
1. Samuel Abdisa……………………………………………….Ru-2610/09
2. Mujahid bilale………………………………………………..Ru-3378/09
3.Alemayehu Matwos…………………………………………..Ru-3559/09
4.Nitsuh Ayanew………………………………………………..Ru-0773/09
5.Bereket Nigussie………………………………………………Ru-4121/09

April 2011

ASSOSA, ETHIOPIA
Contents
CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................................................... 3
1. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... 3
1.1. Background of the study .................................................................................................................... 3
1.2. Statement of the problem ................................................................................................................. 4
1.3. Objective of the study ........................................................................................................................ 6
1.3.1. General objective ........................................................................................................................ 6
1.3.2. Specific objectives ....................................................................................................................... 6
1.4. Research Question ............................................................................................................................. 6
1.5. Scope of the study ............................................................................................................................. 7
1.6. Significance of the study .................................................................................................................... 7
1.7. Limitation of the study ....................................................................................................................... 7
CHAPTER – TWO ........................................................................................................................................... 8
2. REVEW LITERATURE .................................................................................................................................. 8
2.2. Characteristics of culture ................................................................................................................... 9
2.3. Elements of culture .......................................................................................................................... 10
CHAPTER THREE .......................................................................................................................................... 15
3.1 Research design and Methodology................................................................................................... 15
3.2 Description of the study area............................................................................................................ 16
3.3 Sampling method .............................................................................................................................. 17
3.3.1 Population .................................................................................................................................. 17
3.3.2 Sample Size determination ........................................................................................................ 17
3.4 Method of Data Collection ................................................................................................................ 18
4 Work plan and Budget plan .................................................................................................................. 19
Time schedules .......................................................................................................................................... 19
Budget plan ................................................................................................................................................ 20

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CHAPTER ONE

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background of the study

Ethiopia is home for a cultural multitude of people, which is a unique feature, many nations are
lacking. Because of this, the saying “Our diversity is our beauty, our beauty is our strength”
makes perfect sense. But this does not mean there is no challenge for a nation with diverse
culture to let them co-exist, and if the cultural differences are not respected and well treated it
might lead to a devastating conflict (Jandat, 2001).
In the 21st century , it is becoming more and more important to be able to understand
people from different cultural backgrounds. Trade has got over state boundaries,
immigration is increasing and we find ourselves communicating with people who are
different. They may speak various languages, have different habits, profess sundry religion,
and hold diverse opinions. We might meet these people every day and if we want to
preclude misunderstanding, we need to know how to manage these differences effectively .
University students are the nation’s future political leaders, policy makers and professionals and
they can effectively execute their responsibility when they develop a personality that entertains
national identity. A person better develops such identity feeling when he/she is exposed to all
kinds of principles/philosophies found in the country. People who are good in intercultural
communication can easily understand others, bound the multitude towards a communication
goal, design policies and programs that satisfy all. Therefore, the researchers believe that
concerned bodies should put critical attention on how to develop effective intercultural
communication among university students (Abera, 2010).
It is common to see conflicts in the Ethiopian universities. Even though most of the conflicts are
managed at the university level, some of them have caused national crisis (Abera, 2010) and
many of the university conflicts are occurred because of simple misunderstanding between
different cultures(individual and/or group members). Such kinds of conflicts and violence will be
prevented mainly through effective intercultural communication.
Effective intercultural communication enables individuals and the public to reach on common
understanding and build mutual interest. Our government allocated millions of Eth. Birr to

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expand higher education. In the past few years alone, the number of higher institutions highly
increased. The increase in number of universities also helps the nation to increase its enrollment.
All of these efforts show how government gives high value to education. In fact, education,
especially higher education, has immense contribution to fasten the ongoing development
activities. Ethiopia’s five years Growth and Transformation Plan stipulates that simple expansion
of education, however, would not grant its priceless contribution to the nation unless we prepare
the students to the coming challenges. One of the challenges is a variety of cultures the nation
holds. Students need to entertain all cultures equally and to maintain effective intercultural
communication. This could not happen unless the students are aware of the various cultures and
identify the barriers that cause obstacles for intercultural communication. Students need support
to develop the knowledge of systems of intercultural communication as well as the barriers
(Thomas, 2013).

1.2. Statement of the problem

Higher institutions are the places where the youngsters experience new level of personal growth,
and are starting to build their mind for their next higher personality and responsibility. The
knowledge and experiences that university students obtain in the campus have become the base
for their future life’s decision and philosophy. They meet with others who have different life
outlook and measurements of individuals’ identity. Their few experiences crystallize their
previous life principles but most of them differ to some extent or completely. Most of these
divergent truths are the results of their communication from other cultures. This communication
brings different beliefs and attitudes to the students and when they are not ready to accept or
reconcile the differences, it could create a devastating problem on their personality as well as
social life. Therefore, the responsible parties have to give their interest to smoothen the
promotion stage of the university students inside and outside of the campus.
Some university students join the campus expecting different social life, while most of them
simply join it without anticipating the reality. As the students come from various places with
various social life style, the communication in-campus become more or less different to the
students. When they were in their birth places, communication was easy to lead their life but in
the campus the communication mainly becomes with different cultures and demands knowledge
of intercultural communication. Exposure to ‘strange’ cultures with its features, social

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expectations and language requirements is considered a unique multilevel learning experience
where intercultural competence, knowledge of and respect for other cultures may be developed
(Stier, 2006).
Many campus students force to quit or fail their education every academic year because of their
inability to adapt the new social life in-campuses. Even those who are able to continue in the
campus, they still struggle to live a healthy life. We know one’s social relationship is highly
dependent on his/her communication competence. However, since campus students are not
informed about intercultural communication, we see the students facing difficulties.
Understanding the complementarities and dichotomized nature of the cultural communication of
the people undoubtedly enable the peoples themselves to learn about similarity of cultural
practices of one another and to develop a feeling that they share a lot with one another. They can
understand their similarities and perceive that they are alike and can minimize their differences
of opinion. When they realize that they will be initiated to share cultural practices, minimization
of differences of opinion and interest can, in turn, help for obtaining easy social mobilization for
sustainable development and peaceful relationships among the peoples.
To sum up, the Ethiopian universities are characterized by constituting students from different
cultural backgrounds. The communication among such students is crucial for the existence of
successful learning-teaching, researching, and community servicing environment. However, the
essence and the nature of communication among such culturally diverse students have not been
investigated through the contemporary discourses, theories and methodologies of intercultural
communication. In addition, the same issues have not been examined in terms of the internal (in-
campus) and external (out-campus) factors affecting the students’ intercultural communication in
Assosa Universty. Thus, this study intends to assess the barrier of intercultural communication
among students in Assosa University.

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1.3. Objective of the study
1.3.1. General objective
The general objective of this study is to assess the intercultural communication of Assosa
university students.

1.3.2. Specific objectives

 Assess the university students’ awareness of cultural differences during their
interaction with other students from different cultural differences in the
campuses;
 Describe the students’ system of intercultural communication;
 Explore factors (internal and external) affecting effective intercultural
communication in the university’s compounds; and
 Evaluate the sensitivity level of intercultural communication of the university
students and the contribution of education and intercultural experience to create
conducive environment in Assosa University.

1.4. Research Question

The research questions that these papers will try to address are:

1. Do university students recognize cultural differences during their interaction with other
students from different cultural backgrounds?
2. How do students from different cultural backgrounds communicate with each other in
the university’s compounds?
3. What are the roles of in-campus and out-campus experiences in influencing the students’
intercultural communication in their respective university’s campus?
4. How do the members of the university’s community such as leaders, office of student
services, administrative offices, dormitory coordinators, instructors and other staff
evaluate intercultural communication sensitivity level among the university students and
the contribution of education and intercultural experience to create conducive
environment in the campuses? And
5. How do university students react to things or ideas which are different from their culture?

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1.5. Scope of the study

The scope of the studies will cover Assosa university students the system of inter cultural
communication in Assosa university, student’s. The study will address the data collection from
university administrative staffs, officials, instructors and student themselves through deferent
research instruments like questionnaire and interview. These studies could not include other
campus student’s Due to the time and financial constraint that the researcher collects the
information about the research.

1.6. Significance of the study

These study will help to provide an over view on anointer cultural communication in Assosa
university students. This study will signify first to different kind of Governmental organizations,
non-governmental organization and privet organizations, for peace and security, capital
investment for the students to communicate with each other under intercultural communication
to explain some barriers of intercultural communication. Secondly it will signify to academic
institutions to study further on the issue. Thirdly the result of this study will signify to block the
intercultural conflict in the universities.

1.7. Limitation of the study

This study is expected to be limited on the following first it is purposefully limited only for one
campus which is Assosa university, secondly the population of the study area is expected to be
abundant from two major ethnic groups Oromia and Amhara.

1.8 Organization of the paper

This paper contains three (3) chapters. The first chapter contains Background of the study,
statement of the problem, objective of the study under the objective of the study there is general
and specific objective of the study, scope of the study, limitation of the study, research question,
and significance of the study. The second chapter contains, literature review, under literature
review. Definition of culture, Element of culture, definition of communication, component of

7
culture, principle of communication, relationship between culture and communication
approach, nonverbal communication, and Barriers to inter cultural communication.
The third chapter contains methodology of the study, in this sub group there is the research
method, sources of the data under the sources of the data, primary and secondary data includes,
target population, sample size and sampling technique. Instrument target population, sample size
and sampling technique of data collection tools like, interview, focus group discussion ethical
consideration were included and work plan, budget plan and reference included.

CHAPTER – TWO

2. REVEW LITERATURE
2.1. CONCPTS OF INTERCULTURAL COMUNICATIONS
There are various definitions of culture. Thus, there is no universally agreed up on definition of
culture…….. Continue in this way? In the 19thc the term culture was commonly used as
synonym for western civilization, the British anthropologist sir Edward B. Taylor (1871:31).
Popularize the idea that all societies pass through developmental stapes beginning with
“savagery” progressing to “barbarism” and culminating in western “civilization” it is easy to see
that such definition assume that western culture were consider superior. Both western cultures,
beginning with china besieged that their own way of life was superior. The study of multiple
cultures without imposing the belief that western culture was ultimate goes was slow to develop.

2.1.2. Today’s Definition of culture

Culture is not synonymous with countries, culture does not respect political boundaries and
border cities such as Etal can develop cultures that in some way are not like Mexico or United
States for example major stories in United States border cities routinely accept Mexican
currency. In this text culture refers the following.
A community or population sufficiently large enough to be self sustaining. That is large enough
to produce new generation of members without relying on outside people.The totality of those
groups, values assumptions about life that guide behavior and how those evolve with contact
with other cultures.

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2.2. Characteristics of culture

Culture is learned: - It is not biological we do not inherit much of learning culture,

institutions & media.
The process of learning culture is as enculturation from the moment of birth to the end of your
life, you leek to define the world that imagines on your senses.
Learning verify field through culture learning.
Learning culture through proverbs
Learning culture through folktales legends & myths
Learning culture through mass media
Culture is shared: - we are able to act in socially appropriate ways as well as predict how
other will act. Despite the shored nature of culture, that does not mean that culture is
homogenous (the same). According to Havilland & his express “As a shared set of ideas, value
perceptional & standard behavior, culture is the common denominator that makes the actions of
individuals intelligible to other members of their society.
Culture is integrated: - this is known as holism or the various parts of culture being
interconnected all aspects of culture are related to one another and to truly understand a culture,
one must learn about all its parts, not only a few. According to Ferrar opinion out that culture
should be thought of as integrate whales the parts of which to some degree, are interconnected
with one another.
Culture is Transmitted from Generation to Generation:

According to char on, this process of transmitting culture can be seen as a kind of “social
heritance” char on celebrates on this idea when he writes a culture is a social in heritance it
consists of ideas that may have developed long before me were born our society for example has
a history reaching beyond any individuals live the ideas develop over time are taught to each
generation and “truth” is award in interaction by people long before dead.
Culture is dynamic: - means culture interact and change because most cultures are in contact
with other cultures, they exchange ideas symbols. All cultures are integrated, if one component

9
in the system charges, It is likely that the entire system must adjust culture provides strength and
stability, It is never static cultural group fact continual challenges from such power full force as
environmental up heavily, plague, wars, migration, the culture in flux of migrants and the growth
of new technologies. As a result, culture change and evolve over time.
Culture is Based on symbol:-

A symbol is something that stands for something else. Symbol varies cross – culturally and is
arbitrary. They only have meaning when people in culture agree on their use. The relationship
between culture and symbols is made apparent by Ferrare when he writes “simplistic together
people who otherwise might not be part of unified group.

2.3. Elements of culture

Language: - is a group of word or ideas having common meaning and is shared to also
associate situation is called language. It is entrance to culture. It is source of communication and
transmit massage from one person to another language differs from culture to culture and it is
transmitted from one generation to another generation.

Symbols:- culture is a system of symbols are anything used to represent, express and stand for
event situation symbols directed to guide over behavior. It is used to show on event of past,
present and future.
Norms: - it is element of culture are the rules and the guidelines which specify the behavior of
an individual. Norms keep a person a person with in the boundary of society and is culture. It
gives us restriction about something w/c to do and which not to do. It gives knowledge about
wrong and write.
Values: - anything getting importance in our daily life becomes our values. The origin of values
is not biological but it is social production while living in society the value develops. Valves are
the good idea and thinking of a person.

2.4. Definition of communication

The purpose of this communication is to assist you in communicating effectively.

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Communication is process whereby in formation enclosed in a package and is channeled and
imported by sender a feedback. All forms of communication requires a sender, a message, and an
intended recipient, however, the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender’s intends to
communicate at the time of communication in order for the act communication to occur.
Communication requires that all parties have an area of communicative community.

2.4.1. Components of communication

Sender or Encoder: - is a person who sends a message. A sender makes use of symbols (order
or graphic or visual aids) to convey the message and produce the required responses.
Message: - is a key idea that the sender wants to communicate it is sign that elicits the response
of recipient communication process begins with deciding about the message to be conveyed. It
must be ensured that the main objective of the message is clear.
Channel or medium: - channel is a means used to exchange or transmit the message. The sender
must choose an appropriate medium for transmitting the message else. The message might not be
conveyed to the desired recipient. The choice of appropriate medium of the communication is
essential for making the message effective and correctly interpreted by the recipient.
Recipient or Decoder: - is a person for whom the message is intended (aimed) targeted. The
degree to w/c the decoder understands the message is dependant up on various factors such as
knowledge of recipient, their responsiveness to the message, and the reliance of encoder or
decoder.
Feedback: - is the main process component of communication process as it permits the sender to
analyses the efficiency of the message.
It helps the sender in confirming the correct interpretation of message by the decoder. Feedback
may be verbal (through words) or non-verbal (in the form of smiles, sights and etc …).
2.4.2. Humanistic model: - Transactional model of communication, for example, shows that in
addition to sending & receiving message simultaneously, communicate takes their relationship in
to account. Recognizing that communication is transactional allows us to understand. For
example, that the source can know the intended recover well enough to incorporate that personal
knowledge in to the encoding of the message. A transactional understanding to communicate
helps us recognize that the exact same words can be spoken to diverse people with different
meaning.

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 2.5. The Relationship Between culture & communication.
The relationship between communication and culture is a very complex and intimate one, firstly
culture are created through communication, that is communication is the means of human
interaction through which cultural characteristics whether customs, rules laws or other patterns
are create a and shared. It is so much that individual set out to create a culture when they interact
in relationships, group, originations, or societies, but rather cultures are natural byproduct of
social interaction.

2.6. Definition of Intercultural communication

Intercultural communication refers to communication between people who belong to different
cultures who have different values, beliefs, behaviors and walls to communicating because
shared or common meaning is essential for communication to occur success fully, people from
different cultures need to establish some common ground and cultivate an open, positive attitude
towards one another.Intercultural communication is a complex concept that has taken on a wide
variety of meaning and interactions.

According to Samovar, Larry A.and Porter, Richard E. (2005; 45).Intercultural communication

inherently variable and interpretation. It is used to mean that while individuals and special
meaning to this term, intercultural communication is that some form of communication has
interacted in a particular space, time and context.

StanieyJ.Baran (2006:p56), defines intercultural communication as the symbolic exchange

process where individual from two or more different cultural communities negotiate shared
meanings in an interactive situations.
Intercultural communication is the interaction between people whose cultural perceptions and
symbols systems are distinct enough to alter the communication events (Samour and Porter,
2004:15).

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 2.7 Barriers to intercultural communication
2.7.1. Ethnocentrism:-These are the way in w/c your lifeinteracts withothers.They are the things
you take for granted. It is belief in the centrality of one’s culture. It often involves judging
aspects of another culture by the standard of one’s own culture. Bennett (1993:30) defines
ethnocentrism as assuming that the world view of one’s own culture is central to all reality.

2.7.2. Stereotypes: - As an extension of ethnocentrism, stereotype are one of the obvious barriers
to intercultural communication. Applegate, James and Sypher, Howard (1988:280), defines
stereotype as “the perceptions or beliefs we hold about groups or individual based on our
previously formed opinions of attitudes”. As the definition suggests, stereotypes do not develop
suddenly but are formed over a period of time by over culture. Jandat, (2001) identified a number
of ways in which stereotypes are harmful and impact of communication.
2.7.3. Prejudice: - like stereotypes, it can be either positive or negative although it is generally
referred to as “the unfair based or in tolerant because they belong to a specific religion, race,
nationality or another groups” samovar and porter (1991:281).
Ery old source??

A person who thinks “I don’t want (name of group) living in my neighborhood” for example, is
expressing a prejudice. Prejudice involvespre-conceptions of individuals or groups based on UN
founded opinion attitudes and beliefs.

General comments on chapter Two

 You need to edit the chapter
 You have to briefly explain the concepts that you are going to use in your study
 Your style of writing must be coherent
 It is very important if you used updated source
 You have not written the theoretical literature and empirical literature. Thus, you are
expected to put these things.
 You have almost used the outdated/old/ data/sources. Hence, add updated sources.
 At the end of this chapter, you need to write the conceptual framework of the study.
 …………….

13
 Theoretical Framework
I’m for humanity. Let’s work for it, since we are human beings-it
should be our main identity. Let’s make the world colorful with its
different cultures. We have much to learn from others. We can enrich
ourselves with other ideas, views,and thoughts. What is the use of
living in stagnant poollike a little frog?
Most of the time conflict between two cultures happens when they come
together as a result of social interaction, butthat do not mean we can prevent
conflict by preventing them from students being interacted among them who
are from different cultures. In the 21st
century, when the world is becoming
one village as a result of increasedinteraction, it is impossible for a
community to live isolated from others. Even the stronger and modern
nations are no longer self-supporting for their needs. If this is the reality, all
we have to do is work for creating a healthy relationship between two
cultures. Different cultural backgrounds are among the few causes of
conflicts among the university students, according to Endrias Eshete (2010,
i) for conflict origin and only through intercultural communication they can
be managed and reduced. In his words, “Only by competentlyand peacefully
interacting with others who are different from us can our global village
survive.”
175
174

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CHAPTER THREE

3.1 Research design and Methodology

To achieve the stated objective, descriptive type of research design were used. Purposive
sampling technique was engaged in order to select students from the study area from different
culture and religion. Moreover, both primary and secondary source of data collection tools were
used. A research methodology defines what the activity of research is, how to proceed, how to
measure and how to obtain success. The research data for study will be collected by different
resech instruments like interview and questionneare.

This study employed qualitative research methodology, as more flexible than quantitative
methodology (Guest et al., 2005), while the data were drawn from both primary and secondary
sources, albeit priority was given to primary sources of data.
This research project will conducted in Assosa Universities and the regular students were the
study subjects. Narrative and story-telling, focus group discussions, and interviews (structured
and unstructured) using interview guide/protocol as well as questionnaires as research
instruments were employed for collecting primary data. As qualitative research method requires
a descriptive way of presenting the qualitative data, the generated data on the students’ daily
manners of intercultural communication both inside and outside classrooms, their participation in
different extracurricular activities, the existing university leaderships and other staff’s
administrative measures, student services, etc. will be then explain accordingly. Purposive
sampling technique (regarding the empirical data) was also applied to select as sampled schools,
faculties and departments under the auspices of the respective university.

15
For the purpose of triangulation in the study, the following major groups of informant and/or
respondent will be the sources of pertinent data in order to make the findings of the study more
visible and reliable ones. These research participants were:
1. Ethnic, religion, gender, and life style oriented student groups; this could provide reliable
pieces of information to achieve the objectives of the research;
2. Officials in the student services, from Assosa university administrative body, dormitory
coordinators; and
3. Instructors.

3.2 Description of the study area

The study will be conduct in 2019 and around west Ethiopia specifically in Assosa
universty located around 678km from Addis Ababa and 5 km from the regional capital Assosa
town in Assosa. AssosaTownisthecapital city
ofBenishangulGumuzRegionalState(BGRS),which isone
ofthenineregionalstatescomprisingEthiopian. It
islocatedattheSouthWesternpartofthecountry,678kmawayfromAddisAbaba.
Thecharacteristicofthevegetationisthereflectionofclimate.Thus,thevegetationof
thetownanditssurroundingsmainly consistsofwoodlandandsavanna.Theyaremixed
deciduouswood landsandsavannawithvarioustypesofacacia.Mostofthetreesare
deciduousthatshedtheirleavesduringthedryseason.

16
Figure 1Map of the study area (ours source)

3.3 Sampling method

In this study, non-probability sampling technique will be used. The study area is selected
purposively because the data is easily accessible in the selected area .The sample data collection
will be the interview for higher administrative level and questionnaire for the rest.

3.3.1 Population
The population is Assosa University students from deferent culture and religion wether in side
or abroad the country.

3.3.2 Sample Size determination

The sample is represented from assosa university students from all fresh and Gc studentsThe
sample size for representing the polpulation determined by the following formula.

(Kothari2004)

Where:

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n = sample size

N= population size,

e= acceptable error (the. precision) =5%

z= standard variate at a given confidence level =2.005 for 95 confidence level

P= value being the proportion of defectives in the universe

q= 1 – p

3.4 Method of Data Collection

The thesis describe the methods of primary and secondary source of data collection by
categories in to two data collection instruments such as, Interview, and questionnaire.During data
collection three field work phases will be employed including before field work, after field work
and in the field work. Before going out in the fieldwork of the study areas, the related data was
collected from literature information for leadership in related to this study.Preparation
ofquestioners and other necessary materials. By gathering necessary information, study will be
define study area, research problem and questions. Source (secondary data source) including
books, papers, governmental reports, journals, and previous study conduct in the same field of
study. Identifying interviewers and prepared guideline questions. Interviews will be collected the
information from students that will be intimately involved from deferent stake holders. After the
fieldwork is collected and organized the field after organized valid data analysis the research and
presentation in different spastically method when discuss these result finally lead to conclusion
and recommendations.

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4 Work plan and Budget plan

Time schedules
No Major activity Month
Jan Fab march April May Jun
1 Title select and proposal preparation
2 Literature research
3 Proposal Approval
4 Preparation (questioner translation &
duplication
5 Data collection
6 Data processing & analyzing
7 Report writing and first draft summation
8 Submitting of final draft and presentation

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Budget plan
No Item quantity Unit cost Total
(ETB)
1 Paper 130 43 43
Pen 2 10 10
Flash 1 180 180
2 Service telephone 3 15 15
Service intenerate 10
Service secretary transport 3 24 24
3 Other cost printing reference 20 120 120
photos coping proposal
printing
4 Tea 6 24 24
Total cost 75 416 416

REFERENCES

Frede S. Jandet G. (1995:417) An introduction to Intercultural communication: 2nd edition,

state university scans Bernardino.
Judith M. and Thomas N. (2013) Intercultural communication in context of multicultural, 5th
edition.
Joseph R. (1996: P4_12) the dynamics’ mass communication: University of Georgia, Athens.
Samovar H. and Porter K. communication between culture: 3rd edition (1997:p15): wards
worth publishing company.
Edward B. Taylor N.(1897:31)
Samovar, Larry A. and Porter, Richard E. (2005; 45).Intercultural communication inherently
variable and interpretation.
Staniey J.Baran (2006:p56), defines intercultural communication as the symbolic exchange
process.

20
(Samour and Porter, 2004:15). Intercultural communication is the interaction between people
whose cultural perceptions and symbols systems are distinct enough to alter the
communication events
Bennett (1993:30) defines ethnocentrism as assuming that the world view of one’s own
culture is central to all reality.
Applegate, James and Sypher, Howard (1988:280), defines stereotype as “the perceptions or
beliefs we hold about groups or individual based on our previously formed opinions of
attitudes”.
Jandat, (2001) identified a number of ways in which stereotypes are harmful and impact of
communication.
Abera Hailemariam. (2010). Ethnic identity and the relations of Amhara, Oromo
and Tigray students at Addis Ababa University main campus. (Unpublished
master’s thesis). In Addis Ababa University, Institute for Peace and Security
Studies.
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