ABSTRACT
This chapter begins by introducing various understandings of ‘intercultural communication’, ‘interpersonal communication’, and ‘cross-cultural communication’. It examines eight imperatives for studying language and intercultural communication: globalization; internationalization; advances in transportation and communication technologies; changing demographics; the rise in populism, localism, and xenophobia; conflict and peace; ethics; and personal growth and responsibility. The chapter reviews the characteristics of an ethical intercultural communicator. While most internationalization efforts focus on higher education, in a growing number of regions, primary and secondary schools are incorporating international, intercultural learning into their curricula, especially in contexts where there is a large immigrant population. Increased intercultural contact, facilitated by technological advances in transportation and communication, underscores the necessity of intercultural sensitivity and the benefits of acquiring proficiency in an additional language. The study of language and intercultural communication offers significant possibilities for personal growth and expansion.
