Conflicting assumptions in approaches to intercultural Internet communication
Juliana de Nooy, University of Queensland
Since 2000 a large body of research has accumulated on the topic of intercultural computer-mediated communication (CMC), focussing on the ways in which various cultures approach and communicate via the Internet. The research emanates from a variety of disciplines including business communication, cultural studies, sociology and second language acquisition, and ranges from broad applications of intercultural theory to analysis of the impact of local factors. It includes both cross-cultural studies (comparisons of online practices) and intercultural studies (analyses of online interactions between people from different backgrounds) to highlight differences and potential sources of intercultural misunderstandings. At first glance, this wealth of research all seems to point in the same direction: namely towards the conclusion that cultural differences in CMC are profound and wide-ranging. On closer examination, however, we find divergent understandings of how these differences arise, how culture and technology interact, and thus of the role culture plays in shaping online communication.
The paper analyses these conflicting assumptions in order to foreground significant differences in theoretical approaches to intercultural inquiry. It forms part of a joint project with Barbara Hanna (QUT) on "Negotiating cultural difference in Internet discussion".