Ethics in intercultural and international Communication

Book excerpt: There has been an increased interest in both intercultural and international communication, as well as ethical aspects of such interactions. In spite of this, there are no books which address this specific subject matter beyond limited surveys of different types or forms of ethics, or attempted comparisons between various ethical or value systems. This book intends to engage readers rather than trying to teach them about ethics or how to be ethical. It is questionable that ethics can be taught as academic subject matter, or that such instructions will result in meaningful applications in the daily lives of students. By considering specific challenges affecting ethical behavior in various intercultural and international interactions, and by suggesting interactive, dialogic behavioral models as well as examples, the authors seek to create an atmosphere of involvement and discussion which will lead researchers to consider the ethics undergirding their own lives, as well as any resulting ethical or unethical practices.