Becoming Intercultural

Countless immigrants refugees and temporary sojourners change homes each year all around the world. What challenges do they face as they cross cultural boundaries and strive to build a new life in an unfamiliar milieu? What is the psychological dynamic underpinning of their adaptation process? How do their internal conditions change over time? What is the role of their ethnic and personal backgrounds and of the conditions of the host environment in the process? Addressing these and related issues the author presents a comprehensive theory or a big picture of the cross-cultural adaptation phenomenon. The theory is built on a broad range of existing concepts models and research data across social science disciplines. Grounded in an open systems perspective the author moves beyond the conventional linear-reductionist conceptions of adaptation and emphasizes its interactive multifaceted and evolving nature. At the heart of the theory is the critical role of the individual’s ability to communicate in accordance to with the host communication system and his or her psychological and social engagement with the host environment. A special effort has been made to bring this theoretical rendition closer to the everyday realities of individuals undergoing the adaptation process by incorporating many of their personal stories testimonials and self-reflections throughout the book.