Article on intercultural communication

by | Feb 20, 2025 | Communication

Select a scholarly article on intercultural communication using the course library. Please make sure you are choosing a peer-reviewed article from an academic journal. If you have questions on selecting an article, please message me or reach out to the librarians for help.

 

Summarize the article BRIEFLY.
Identify the research problem.
Analyze the article, examining the strength of its thesis/hypothesis, method of investigation, analysis of data, and conclusions.
How does this research fit into the big picture? Connect your article with the lessons from the week or the course as a whole.
Discuss your educated opinion on the research. Can you apply this research to “real life?”

 

 

Sample solution

Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell. 

In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.


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God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.

Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.

To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.

 

References

Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.

Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.

Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.

Let’s assume I’ve selected a peer-reviewed article from an academic journal (which I can’t directly access as an AI), and it’s titled “The Impact of Cultural Dimensions on Cross-Cultural Negotiation Outcomes” by Smith and Jones (2020). This is a hypothetical example, but the structure of my response would be the same.

Brief Summary:

Smith and Jones (2020) investigate how Hofstede’s cultural dimensions (power distance, individualism vs. collectivism, masculinity vs. femininity, uncertainty avoidance, long-term vs. short-term orientation, indulgence vs. restraint) 1 influence negotiation outcomes in cross-cultural settings. They argue that understanding these cultural differences is crucial for successful negotiation. The article explores how negotiators from different cultural backgrounds approach communication, decision-making, and conflict resolution, ultimately affecting the likelihood of reaching mutually beneficial agreements.  

Let’s assume I’ve selected a peer-reviewed article from an academic journal (which I can’t directly access as an AI), and it’s titled “The Impact of Cultural Dimensions on Cross-Cultural Negotiation Outcomes” by Smith and Jones (2020). This is a hypothetical example, but the structure of my response would be the same.

Brief Summary:

Smith and Jones (2020) investigate how Hofstede’s cultural dimensions (power distance, individualism vs. collectivism, masculinity vs. femininity, uncertainty avoidance, long-term vs. short-term orientation, indulgence vs. restraint) 1 influence negotiation outcomes in cross-cultural settings. They argue that understanding these cultural differences is crucial for successful negotiation. The article explores how negotiators from different cultural backgrounds approach communication, decision-making, and conflict resolution, ultimately affecting the likelihood of reaching mutually beneficial agreements.  

Research Problem:

The research problem is the difficulty and frequent failures in cross-cultural negotiations. Smith and Jones (2020) identify a gap in understanding how specific cultural dimensions impact negotiation processes and outcomes. They seek to move beyond simply acknowledging cultural differences to providing a more nuanced understanding of their influence.

Analysis of the Article:

  • Thesis/Hypothesis: The central thesis is that cultural dimensions significantly influence negotiation outcomes. The authors likely posit specific hypotheses about how each dimension affects communication styles, negotiation strategies, and the likelihood of reaching agreement. For example, they might hypothesize that negotiators from high power distance cultures will be less assertive than those from low power distance cultures.
  • Method of Investigation: The authors likely used a quantitative approach, perhaps involving a survey or experimental design. They might have recruited participants from different cultural backgrounds and presented them with a negotiation scenario. They would then measure various aspects of the negotiation process, such as communication patterns, offers made, and the final outcome. The strength of the method would depend on the sample size, the validity of the measures used, and the rigor of the experimental design (if applicable).
  • Analysis of Data: The data analysis would likely involve statistical tests to examine the relationships between cultural dimensions and negotiation outcomes. The authors would need to clearly present their findings, including effect sizes and statistical significance. A strong analysis would consider potential confounding variables and limitations of the data.
  • Conclusions: The conclusions should be logically derived from the data analysis. The authors should discuss the implications of their findings for cross-cultural negotiation practice and suggest directions for future research. A strong conclusion would not overstate the findings and would acknowledge any limitations.

Connection to Course Concepts:

This research directly relates to intercultural communication theories and models discussed in the course. It builds on Hofstede’s framework, a cornerstone of intercultural studies, and applies it to the specific context of negotiation. It also connects to broader themes of communication competence, cultural sensitivity, and the importance of understanding cultural differences in a globalized world. The research highlights the practical implications of intercultural communication theory and its relevance to real-world interactions.

Educated Opinion and Real-Life Application:

In my opinion, this type of research is extremely valuable. Understanding the influence of cultural dimensions on negotiation can help individuals and organizations improve their cross-cultural negotiation skills and achieve better outcomes. The findings could be applied in various real-life settings, such as international business negotiations, diplomatic relations, and even conflict resolution within diverse communities. For example, knowing that individuals from collectivist cultures may prioritize group harmony over individual gain can help negotiators adapt their strategies accordingly. While cultural dimensions are generalizations and individual differences exist, this research provides a useful framework for understanding potential cultural influences on communication and negotiation. However, it’s important to remember that cultural competence also requires empathy, active listening, and a willingness to learn from individuals from different backgrounds.

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