The cultural criticality approach
There are two basic points of view concerning intercultural communication theory, research and practice. Supporters of these two perspectives have been called respectively: cultural critics and cultural dialogists. This dichotomy represents two approaches associated with intercultural communication and the choice of methods to serve educational goals.
Adherents of the cultural critical point of view regard cultural differences as potential barriers; they advocate understanding these barriers and respecting the differences. They promote training to bridge the inevitable cultural gap. The term 'critic' as used here refers to the emphasis upon critical or vital differences that might be sources of communication break down. The importance of difference have been made in classic statements by Whorf (1956),Hall (1973), and Singer (1975). Methods suited to such an approach are those that explain, illustrate, or exemplify culture-specific differences. Cultural criticism seeks to find points of conflict and isolate them as researchable issues in transcultural interaction. The activities of the critics are aimed at sensitising the researcher and/or learner to differences. The approach is culture-specific and focuses on a particular group.
Some authors in the field stress the importance of perceiving cultural similarity, e.g. Brislin observes that:
perceiving similarities leads to a basis for interaction; perceiving differences leads to a basis for out-group rejection.
Brislin (1981: 60)
Or, as Samovar, Porter, and Jain (1981) put it:
It is our likenesses that enable us to find common ground and establish rapport.
Bennett strongly opposes this approach. He argues:
I observe in most classrooms and workshop environments that difficulties in learning the concepts and skills of intercultural communication are nearly always attributable to a disavowal of cultural differences, not a lack of appreciating similarity.
(Bennett 1993: 25)
Whilst I agree to some extent with Bennett. It is unproductive to dismiss the similarities approach for the following reasons.