In Japan critical views of the dominance of English are only infrequently voiced, and the use of English is promoted for the benefits associated with it. This paper discusses the issues of language and power in intercultural communication on the basis of a case study on the Ship for World Youth, an intensive "international exchange" programme in…

Framed within debates concerning national identification and English as a Foreign Language education within Japan, the current study explores the relationships between three specific attitudinal facets of Japanese national identification (internationalism, patriotism and nationalism), the perceived vitality of English-speaking nations, the…

This paper reports on an investigation into the reactions of 147 participants of various ethnicities to a language practice in the USA that has been characterized as Mock Spanish, a special register in which Spanish words or phrases are used to evoke humor by indexing an often unflattering image of Spanish speakers. Research questions include…

This paper engages with the concept of Global Citizenship and the role of transnational non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in teaching awareness about global issues like health, education, and poverty. Specifically, the paper traces the logics of one transnational NGO, "Save the Children," as it teaches communication practices and values…

In this study, we intend to discuss questioning as a sign of Intercultural Communicative Competence in plurilingual environments, stressing the relationship between questioning and the process of developing discovery skills in Romance chat-rooms. Focusing specifically on episodes beginning with intercultural questioning, we will analyse: (1)…

Voluntary religious conversion is a topic of great interest and fascination. However, this fascination is increased when the religion is Islam and the convert is female. Through the use of three in-depth interviews, this research hopes to answer the following questions: how much does a dissatisfaction with typical British individualism contribute…

This article uses the renowned antiquarian Nicolas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc (1580-1637) as a case study to examine the intellectual and religious culture of the early seventeenth century. In particular, using his extensive correspondence, it investigates the manner in which the exchange of letters could be used to reinforce the identity of one…

The artist Christine Borland, born in Scotland, is well known for fusing art and science. She was nominated for the Turner Prize in 1997, and developed an early interest in the representation of the body. This interest blossomed into a broader exploration of the medical world through art with such works as "Second Class Male, Second Class Female,"…

To meet the demands for teachers with intercultural competence and increasing opportunities for study abroad, a consortium of nine partners are developing a joint teacher training graduate degree with key axes: teaching practice abroad (TPA) and intercultural communicative competences (ICC). After preliminary analysis of policy documents related…

This article presents an analysis of a short customer-vendor dialogue between a German couple and a Polish vendor at a food bazaar on the Polish border with Germany. In this situation, interactants have to negotiate and construct framings of hospitality abroad, customer-vendor relations, as well as intercultural relations. It is assumed that…

This article examines variations in beliefs and practices between British English language teaching (ELT) specialists and their Chinese colleagues in a cross-cultural educational development project which used interviews and a questionnaire survey to gather the perceptions and retrospective experiences of Chinese tertiary teachers and expatriate…

This paper forms part of a wider research project which examines how the Kantian concept of "Mundigkeit" or "maturity" may be represented in subjective accounts of language learning, known as "language learner narratives". It is shown that the metaphors used in these texts frequently do not so much represent congenial relations of hospitality…

The paper examines the ongoing internationalisation of Danish higher education from the perspective of the academic staff. Drawing on a series of qualitative research interviews, the analysis highlights the implications of internationalisation for individual lecturer's ability to act and interact in the classroom, changing the form of the…

Despite their diverse national backgrounds, 28 interviewees speak similarly about the complexity of the cultural realities with which they live, and refuse to be pinned down to specific cultural types. While nation is of great importance, unless personally inspiring, it tends to be an external force which is in conflict with a wide variety of…

This article describes the results of a six-month ethnographic case study of a French immigrant of Senegalese descent and how he recreates the culture of an American company's speech community. Data were collected through interviews, field notes, and shadowing the participant at his place of employment. The transcribed interviews and field notes…