Introducing language and intercultural communication, 3rd edition: jane jackson: [book review]

This book explores how to cultivate an open, intercultural mindset and employ constructive communication strategies, verbal and nonverbal, to build meaningful intercultural relationships and engage in constructive intercultural dialogue. This is the third edition of the book; the first edition was published in 2013. This latest edition provides an accessible, lively introduction for students new to the study of intercultural communication (IC). Different from other introductory IC texts, which include only a single chapter on language and pay scant attention to the dynamics of power between groups or individuals in intercultural situations, every chapter of this text recognizes the major role it plays in IC and the co-construction of intercultural relationships. In addition, the power dimension and contextual elements—linguistic, social, political, and environmental—are emphasized throughout. This book’s 11 chapters center on language and IC, covering the main topics in this field: identity and belonging, global citizenship and intercultural competence, and verbal and nonverbal communication. Although the book includes some non-Western scholars, Western scholars and perspectives dominate. Established scholars from the West, such as Bennett, Hofstede, and Deardorff, are the most cited authors. In addition, compared with the first two editions, theoretical constructs in this new edition are updated but are still outdated. Finally, the author attempts to provide a more comprehensive discussion of language and IC for readers new to this field, but her discussion only scratches the surface of the concept without presenting her own insights. The book is an encyclopedia of the IC field, which will be a practical guide for students in any discipline who are new to this area of study. It also enriches instructors’ and researchers’ conceptual and empirical insights necessary for addressing IC issues and problems intertwined with globalization processes. Therefore, I highly recommend this book to students, instructors, practitioners, and researchers from diverse cultural backgrounds as a foundational sourcebook on IC study, teaching, application, and research.