Intercultural Competence

Abstract

Intercultural competence is a theoretical construct which has seen over sixty years of scholarly work, with over thirty different terms being used for this construct depending on the discipline, such as global competence, intercultural effectiveness, plurilingualism, transcultural competence, intercultural sensitivity, intercultural maturity, cross-cultural awareness, intercultural adaptation, intercultural readiness, and so on (and see Oxford Bibliographies Online in Management Cultural Intelligence and in International Relations Global Citizenship), that can be linked even more broadly within intercultural or cross-cultural communication. Given that many of these terms already have associated bibliographies, this article focuses almost exclusively on intercultural competence as the key term and listings here do not imply endorsement. Regardless of the terminology used, definitions generally center on the individual with a focus on knowledge, skills, and attitudes—and, in some cases, motivation and values—needed to interact successfully with those from divergent backgrounds. Recent definitions of intercultural competence have broadened the concept beyond interactions across solely cultural differences to include interactions across any difference, including those resulting from religion, gender, generation, geography, language, socioeconomic background, and so on. Some of the earliest intercultural work can be traced to the 1930s with much of the intercultural competence literature stemming from work in the 1960s followed by efforts in the 1970s to begin conceptualizing, studying, and assessing this construct, with particular emphasis on intercultural adaptation. The 1980s and 1990s saw further refinement and study of intercultural competence, with publications of theories and frameworks as well as assessment tools. Research continues on the development and assessment of intercultural competence, which is a lifelong process. Resources on intercultural competence continue to grow, in part due to the emphasis on intercultural and global competence at the global level through the United Nations (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization [UNESCO]), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the Council of Europe, and such focused groups as the World Council on Intercultural and Global Competence. Further, wide interest remains in intercultural competence in multiple disciplines and sectors, spurred, in part, by the recent emphasis on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in various contexts as well as the increasing societal divides and continued need for an interculturally competent workforce.

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