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TianhongZhang-Dissertation.pdf (1.54 MB)

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MEANINGFUL INTERCULTURAL PRACTICE: AMERICAN AND INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE STUDENTS ON A U.S. CAMPUS

ZHANG, TIANHONG
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1083-2017
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1554720508061722

Abstract Details

2019, PHD, Kent State University, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration.
Imahori and Lanigan’s (1989) intercultural relational model was used as the analytic framework for a better understanding of intercultural practice among international and American graduate students with their so-called culture other on a U.S. mid-sized college campus. Data were collected and analyzed in the two phases. In Phase I, the subjective views of intercultural practice on campus were collected from 12 research participants through semi-structured interviews. In Phase-II, Q methodology employed enabled 4 out of 12 participants to model their subjective views on the issues of intercultural interactions and relations on campus through operating three Q-sorts respectively. Each Q-sort was comprised of the 42 statements generated from the interview data in Phase I. These 42 statements were statistically grouped by factor analyses. By the end, there were three types of intercultural practice emerging: (a) relation-oriented; (b) knowledge-skill oriented; (c) seeking intercultural field for self-fulfillment. The research participants cut through the conventional conception of group identity bipolarized as “international” and “domestic” through unstable-othering for forging connection and developing relationships in an interchangeable interpersonal-intercultural manner. That promised them to move among different communities of practice and unnecessarily being the full membership of these communities. The current study made the theoretical contributions in the following perspectives: (a) intercultural adaptation as a one-way relation; (b) “small culture” among students defining their communities of intercultural practice. By the end, the constructive suggestions were put forward for HE institutions designing intercultural educational program for promoting intercultural interactions among students.
VILMA SEEBERG (Advisor)
STEVEN BROWN (Committee Member)
AMY DAMROW (Committee Member)
228 p.
Higher Education
intercultural experience; international and American graduate students; unstable othering; community of intercultural practice; adaptation as a one-way relation

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Citations

  • ZHANG, T. (2019). MEANINGFUL INTERCULTURAL PRACTICE: AMERICAN AND INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE STUDENTS ON A U.S. CAMPUS [Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1554720508061722

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • ZHANG, TIANHONG. MEANINGFUL INTERCULTURAL PRACTICE: AMERICAN AND INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE STUDENTS ON A U.S. CAMPUS . 2019. Kent State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1554720508061722.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • ZHANG, TIANHONG. "MEANINGFUL INTERCULTURAL PRACTICE: AMERICAN AND INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE STUDENTS ON A U.S. CAMPUS ." Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1554720508061722

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

kent1554720508061722
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© 2019, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Kent State University and OhioLINK.