ABSTRACT
As the publication outcome of the International Association for Languages and
Intercultural Communication (IALIC) symposium entitled ‘The Discourse of Ethics
and Equity in Language and Intercultural Communication’, organized by the
Institute of Occidental Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, from 9 to 10
December 2011 (for the first time outside Europe), this issue examines the notions of
ethics and equity in relation to language, and intercultural communication and
relations. Although predicated in the discourse of the field, these notions have not
been addressed specifically either in a special issue of LAIC or an IALIC conference.
This seems to be an omission given that much of the intercultural discourse and by
extension the intercivilization dialogue of more recent times has been marked by
reactions to Huntington’s theses of a clash of civilizations (1993, 1996), and the
almost prophetic bombings of 9/11, other subsequent ‘terrorist’ attacks and the
indelible effects of these on equitable dealings between different peoples of the world,
implicating tolerance, understanding, hospitality and safety.
