2.7 Summary

Intercultural encounters are commonplace. They are encountered in local residential area, at educational institutions, at work as well when we travel abroad. Our understanding of interculturality is linked to our understanding of culture. Depending on our understanding of culture we experience intercultural encounters in two possible ways. Approaching interculturality from a closed perspective of culture, interculturality is understood as the encounters experienced between two or more people from different countries and different backgrounds. Intercultural interaction is seen here as problematic. From the open perspective of culture, interculturality is an ongoing negotiation process. The term 'interculturality' describes the absence of normality, plausibility and lack of routine action. Intercultural interaction is viewed here as an unfamiliar situation. How individuals perceive one another and how they interpret the actions of the other depend on their experiences. This also means that our expectations and perception of intercultural encounters is influenced by our mental models. Thus, cultural differences can cause friction if we are not aware of our mental models (perceptions, expectations and experiences) and if we are not open-minded in regard to this.

Although intercultural interactions are often considered to be particular challenging, many of them pass without any problems. This is all the more so if we have an understanding of the process involved in interculturality and if we are able to analyse intercultural encounters. Cultural differences can be turned to our advantage, and even used to create synergies. In order to achieve this, a readiness to share, as well as a willingness and openness to learn something new is required. When this is present, intercultural interaction can result in a new, jointly negotiated culture based on an ongoing communication process, sharing of knowledge and reciprocal learning.