Intercultural Competence: Interpersonal Communication Across Cultures (4th Edition) [Paperback]

Myron W. Lustig (Author), Jolene Koester (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 8, 2002 | ISBN-10: 0321081773 | ISBN-13: 978-0321081773 | Edition: 4

Striking a unique balance between skills and theory, Intercultural Competence provides readers with the background and confidence to succeed in today's multi-cultural environment. Blending both the practical and the theoretical, the concrete and the abstract, this book is both enjoyable to read and thoroughly researched. By clearly explaining different theories and the significance of cultural patterns and having readers practice what they learn via examples in the book, Intercultural Competence better prepares readers to interact in intercultural relationships. The book also provides a discussion of important ethical and social issues relating to intercultural communication. The authors cover American multiculturalism as well as global cultural issues. For anyone interested in intercultural communication.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Striking a unique balance between skills and theory, Intercultural Competence provides readers with the background and confidence to succeed in today's multi-cultural environment. Blending both the practical and the theoretical, the concrete and the abstract, this book is both enjoyable to read and thoroughly researched. By clearly explaining different theories and the significance of cultural patterns and having readers practice what they learn via examples in the book, Intercultural Competence better prepares readers to interact in intercultural relationships. The book also provides a discussion of important ethical and social issues relating to intercultural communication. The authors cover American multiculturalism as well as global cultural issues. For anyone interested in intercultural communication.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon; 4 edition (July 8, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321081773
• ISBN-13: 978-0321081773
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,157,876 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Academically Sound, August 20, 2007

By 

D. du Plooy (Cape Town, South Africa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Intercultural Competence: Interpersonal Communication Across Cultures (5th Edition) (Paperback)

I have been teaching Intercultural Communication using this text (previous edition). After completing my MPhil in Intercultural Communication and being exposed to alot of texts in the field, I am still confident that this text is a very good introduction for college students. I have been teaching groups of students that are very diverse, with up to 14 different cultures at one time, and we always have fun with this book, because we are able to discuss the concepts very broadly. I still have to find a better book in its class.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Decent..., March 14, 2010

By 

ChibiNeko "Sooo many books, so little time!" (Whereever I go, here I am.) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Intercultural Competence: Interpersonal Communication Across Cultures (6th Edition) (Paperback)

This was a required text for one of my classes, so needless to say... this was something I had to read cover to cover. Since there's not much one can really say about a textbook (unless its extreme in one direction or another), I'll keep this short.

PROS:

1) Easy to read, this was great for taking notes from. The chapters had the key terms bolded & colored, so it was easy to get the definitions. Many of my college texts no longer do this, so this was a nice treat. Plus all of the topics & definitions are listed in the beginning of each chapter.

2) Good layout. The information was clearly defined & laid out in a way that went nicely from topic to topic.

3) Durable & easy to open. Seriously, you wouldn't believe how many textbooks out there can't lay flat or crumble in one semester. I purchased mine used & its obviously been through a lot of wear & tear. If you want something that you want to last a long time as a reference book or just want something that can be sold back by your students easily, this is a good one to choose.

CONS:

1) While I'm not really qualified to pass judgment on some of the things in this book, at times I didn't entirely agree with some of the concepts in this book. But like I said, I'm not a pro in this stuff yet, so I might be wrong. (One course does not a pro make.)

2) Occasionally the book would ramble on a bit, using 2-3 paragraphs to make a point that could be made in 2-3 sentences. (I'm not including examples in this.) That just irritated me a little when it came to note taking, that I'd have to glean what was pertinent & what wasn't.

Unfortunately I didn't splurge for the online code as it wasn't a requirement for my class, so I can't really say anything about that. Some of my classmates swore by it, so it sounded like it was rather helpful for them.

This book was easy to learn from, so I recommend it if you are looking for a textbook for your students. If you're a student wondering how easy this will be to learn from, rest assured that this is an easy text to learn from.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How the other 90% live -, February 22, 2010

By 

Dr. John T. Webb (Franklin, IN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Intercultural Competence: Interpersonal Communication Across Cultures (3rd Edition) (Paperback)

Intercultural Competence: Interpersonal Communication Across Cultures (6th Edition) A great book for learning how to avoid putting your foot in your mouth! A wealth of information on people around the world, pointing out similarities, as well as the differences. A worthy addition to the two-book series How to be a Perfect Stranger," which mainly treats the various religions and their sundry internal denominations. (Sunni vs Shiite vs Sufi; or Catholic vs Orthodox vs 300+ Protestant sects) Every family should have a copy for facilitating peaceful and harmonious living together.