ABSTRACT
This chapter presents directions for future research about the intercultural relationships of international students by critically reflecting on how this phenomenon has been conceptualised and empirically studied. It first problematises loose and static conceptualisations of interculturality and social relationships that have led to the reproduction of findings on interactional difficulties and challenges, especially between international and home students. Also discussed is the need for dynamic and inclusive conceptualisations, which take into account the evolving nature of meaningful intercultural relationships and collective moral engagement (e.g., altruism) beyond self-serving relationships. The chapter then criticises the prevalence of studies that focus on only individual dimensions of intercultural relationships and calls for ecological research that examines the co-contributing roles of both individual and environmental dimensions. The chapter concludes with a call for research methodologies that assist in the collection and analysis of empirical data that explicitly address the conceptual issues raised in this chapter.
