ABSTRACT
This chapter intends to demonstrate the breadth and development of research regarding gender, language and identity in ways that may be relevant to intercultural communication research. It begins with a brief introduction of the major topics and theoretical approaches that have shaped language and gender studies since the 1970s, with a particular focus on the intercultural difference model of the 1980s. Next, research and theoretical shifts that problematize the early work in language and gender are discussed. Specifically, current research, which draws on insights from feminist poststructural theory and social constructivist theory, allows for a re-examination of the assumed and essentialized duality that sees “women” and “men” as different but undifferentiated groups. New work examines language through the lens of discourse and identity, and gender through the lens of performativity. A selection of recent work in intercultural and multilingual contexts illustrates these new perspectives. Finally, a brief discussion of implications and future directions is outlined.
