How Do Intercultural Communication Textbooks Represent Culture? A Case Study of Chinese Culture

Abstract

Intercultural communication (IC) textbooks are important means to transfer and construct knowledge about different cultural groups, yet it is still not clear how specific cultures are represented in these educational materials. This study addresses the question by analyzing the content of Chinese culture represented in a sample of intercultural communication textbooks. The findings show that (1) a variety of Chinese cultural contents are covered in IC textbooks, among which cultural products and persons are the most frequent references followed by cultural practices and perspectives; (2) representations of Chinese culture reflect diverse conceptualizations of culture ranging from essential to non-essential orientations; (3) Chinese cultures are presented often with theoretical concepts of the IC field and in comparative contexts together with other cultures. Differences in cultural representation between IC and language textbooks and their educational implications are discussed at the end.