Chapter 11: Culture and Communication

Humans have always been diverse in their cultural beliefs and practices. Still, as new technologies have led to the perception that our world has shrunk, and demographic and political changes have brought attention to cultural differences, people communicate across cultures more now than ever before. The oceans and continents that separate us can now be traversed instantly with an email, phone call, tweet, or status update. Additionally, our workplaces, schools, and neighbourhoods have become more integrated regarding race and gender, increasing our interaction with domestic diversity. This chapter explores intercultural competence, cultural safety and cultural humility, which are essential to your practice.