Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University

Faculty of Arts

School of Governmental and Social Science

SA 403: Applied Anthropology

Is the study of Intercultural Communication

Applied Anthropology?

- A Case Study on Intercultural Training

Anna Ihle

27.10.2008

Table of Contents

Table of Contents 2

1.

Introduction 3

2.

Definitions 4

2.1.

Applied Anthropology 4

2.2.

Intercultural Communication 4

3.

The Role of an Applied Anthropologist 5

4.

Case Study: Intercultural Communication in Corporations 6

4.1.

Situation 6

4.2.

Definition of Intercultural Training 6

4.3.

Needs and Outcome of Intercultural Training 7

4.4.

Content and Structure of Intercultural Training 8

4.5.

Job field: Anthropologists in Intercultural Training 9

5.

Evaluation 10

6.

Conclusion and Outlook 11

References 13

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1. Introduction

As anthropologists we want to make a difference in our world. Intercultural training

provides us with that opportunity.

(Ojile 1986: 48)

To make a difference includes the issue of change which is essential to the discipline

of applied anthropology. Training in cross-cultural interaction and behaviour forms

part of communication. Constitutes intercultural communication therefore a part of

the academic discipline of applied anthropology? This paper tries to further

investigate the correlations between these two academic fields.

Since one of the most obvious developments in contemporary society is that the

world is continuously growing closer and closer, people get to meet and

communicate that would have never met a few hundred years ago. Objects, customs

and information get accessible that open up new worlds and horizons for any

individual. As innovative opportunities arise with a closer interlinked worldwide

society, also problems occur. People with different attitudes, perceptions, worldviews

and ideas are confronted with each other and are being forced to communicate. This

is where the discipline of intercultural communication comes in to inquire, clarify and

explain the newly appeared circumstances. But is this concrete facilitation part of the

larger context of applied anthropology?

As the author wants to further investigate this issue, she draws first on the definitions

of the most important two terms to afterwards clarify the specific role expected of an

applied anthropologist. A case study is used to relate this theoretical matter to a

concrete situation. The example of cross-cultural training is employed as a practical

and functional aspect of intercultural communication. This is followed by an overall

evaluation in which the case study as well as the theoretical discussion are

combined to answer the presented question. The conclusion infers the whole topic

and tries to give an outlook on future development.

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2. Definitions

2.1. Applied Anthropology

Applied anthropology

, a sub-discipline of anthropology, describes the utilization of

academic theories and methods to find practical solutions for societal problems. It is

said, that "applied anthropologists use the knowledge, skills, and perspective of their

discipline to help solve human problems and facilitate change" (Chambers 1985: 8).

It is anthropology put to use. Scientific expertise is applied to a wide variety of

employment settings. Certain matters like skills to identify, specify and resolve

contemporary social problems through anthropological background and methods

open up a whole new set of employment locations. These abilities assume their

significance in relation to acts of decision making. The empirically obtained

information is often related to processes of planning and implementation of programs

and policies. It is, furthermore, useful in judging the worth of projects, informing about

results and predicting further outcomes (Chambers 1985: 13).

2.2. Intercultural Communication

Intercultural Communication

inquires the face-to-face interactions among people of

diverse cultures (Jandt 1998: 36). It is a domain closely linked to the academic

discipline of communication studies. However, other fields of study, such as

anthropology, cultural studies and psychology contribute to the speciality as well

(Kwintessential I). This subject seeks to comprehend how people from different

societies and cultural backgrounds behave, communicate and recognize their

surroundings. Furthermore, the study of interpersonal interaction is an essential part

of the field. The conclusions drawn from such research are applied to real-life

situations. The developed theories have been related to many areas such as

business, management, marketing and advertising as well as within education,

health care and other public services for the reason of growing multicultural

populations (Kwintessential I). Its aim is to create awareness of the potential of

various misunderstandings and the wish to avoid them.

The foundation of intercultural communication is the assumption that communication

and culture are inseparable, for the reason that the former is an essential element of

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