Narratives of Storytelling across Cultures

Book excerpt: Narratives of Storytelling Across Cultures demonstrates how meaning found within interpersonal communication is not universal across all cultures. Miscommunication can occur when the foundations of cultural meaning within stories, as told socially and within media, vary among different cultures. Positioned within the communication and media field, this book connects issues of societal tension and political battles to media portrayals, social communication events, and power dynamics that result when people with different meanings systems attempt to negotiate "truth" among their competing narratives. After establishing the theoretical foundation of the book, contributors provide specific case studies that demonstrate underlying cultural components and complexities that lead to these issues. Tony R. DeMars and Gabriel Tait have assembled contributors with research, experience, and understanding of intercultural communication challenges in different social groups, allowing the book to take on a broader scope of intercultural communication. Scholars of communication, conflict resolution, political science, sociology, and media studies will find this book particularly useful.