Intercultural Communication Affect Essentialism

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Today, cultures are one of the most common discussed topics among societies from different backgrounds. People from different cultures and ethnics interact with each other and formed intercultural communication. Intercultural communication is a mixture of different groups and people from different culture backgrounds by communicating with each other. Culture is part of the intercultural communication that includes the study of humanities. For example, the study of media, culture and communication can be centralised as an important research study of humanities. However there are issues surrounding the intercultural communication in most of the sports articles from magazines especially football. Stereotypes, cultural languages and the representations of national identity are the effects of essentialism.

The representation of media in football articles are covered extensively, writers and journalists giving their opinions to certain perspectives. Nationalities and races are linked to their physical characteristics, qualities, personality types and beliefs. Stereotypes consisted a group of people who assumed the representations regarding other people’s personalities and characteristics (Holliday, Hyde, and Kullman 2006, 126). The stereotyping method that is being used in football articles in magazines are designated between the player’s genders and the male referees’ decisions about aggression in football. Male players usually played rougher matches compared to female players. For example, male players committed many fouls and tackles on their opponents. Referees are concerned with aggression because they are enforcing the rules of every match. Sometimes referees have their own ways...

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...cism campaign Kick It Out to curb racism or discrimination in football. Hence, essentialism in national identity is establishing by using magazines as a platform to spread culture diversities among players and readers.

In conclusion, essentialism is caused by stereotypes, cultural languages and national identity by different institutional influences and constrains. We need to understand and appreciate the various cultures that are being practised by different types of people from other countries to have a better communication or interaction in our daily lives. We need to respect other people’s cultures that sometimes might have some offensive or agonising elements in it by ignoring those values and apply the good ones. By having a thoughtful culture of other people, we would be able to unite as a world place a better living society among each other.

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