Ashley Simpson

This book offers a conceptual intervention for Language and Intercultural Communication studies by advocating for a critical interdiscursive approach to research on interculturality. The volume addresses two interrelated theses in research on interculturality; namely that the speaking subject in interaction reproduces the egocentrism and phonocentrism of the Munchausen Effect. In considering the first, the book traces the ways in which interculturality research has historically supposed the ‘speaking subject’—that is, the research participant—as the basis of truth and knowledge, not giving context to the discursive layers or paratexts involved in analyzing the subject’s speech. This notion of the ‘speaking subject’ being taken at face value prompts Simpson’s second interrelated argument on representation and historical conceptualizations of community in interculturality research, whereby, in trying to represent their subjects, researchers often impose a sense of community affiliation onto their subjects and end up negating their subjective identities. The book serves as a conceptual and practical response to calls for epistemological diversity and plurality within Interculturality in proposing an approach that brings epistemology and ontology together. This book will be of interest to scholars in intercultural communication, language education, identity theory, and philosophy of education.

This book offers a conceptual intervention for Language and Intercultural Communication studies by advocating for a critical interdiscursive approach to research on interculturality. The volume addresses two interrelated theses in research on interculturality; namely that the speaking subject in interaction reproduces the egocentrism and phonocentrism of the Munchausen Effect. In considering the first, the book traces the ways in which interculturality research has historically supposed the ‘speaking subject’—that is, the research participant—as the basis of truth and knowledge, not giving context to the discursive layers or paratexts involved in analyzing the subject’s speech. This notion of the ‘speaking subject’ being taken at face value prompts Simpson’s second interrelated argument on representation and historical conceptualizations of community in interculturality research, whereby, in trying to represent their subjects, researchers often impose a sense of community affiliation onto their subjects and end up negating their subjective identities. The book serves as a conceptual and practical response to calls for epistemological diversity and plurality within Interculturality in proposing an approach that brings epistemology and ontology together. This book will be of interest to scholars in intercultural communication, language education, identity theory, and philosophy of education.

This innovative book problematises the internal relationships within and between the intercultural and the political in education. It engages in a critical dialogue with current practices and discourses, and the focus on ‘the political’ offers an alternative trajectory to explore interculturality within education. Drawing on international research and consolidated with application of top interdisciplinary theories in the field, Dervin and Simpson alert us to the current dangers of treating interculturality loosely in education. The authors engage in a dialogue to encourage readers to examine the meaning of interculturality and the state of research in education today, suggesting that we move beyond merely rehearsing theories, concepts and methods. More importantly they urge researchers, teachers and students to question Western-centric ideologies of interculturality. Intercultural and the Political Within Education is a must read for those who are dissatisfied with current intercultural research and education. It will be of great interest to researchers and students of the philosophy of education and those interested in the contemporary debates concerning ideologies, definitions and ownership of interculturality.

This innovative book problematises the internal relationships within and between the intercultural and the political in education. It engages in a critical dialogue with current practices and discourses, and the focus on ‘the political’ offers an alternative trajectory to explore interculturality within education. Drawing on international research and consolidated with application of top interdisciplinary theories in the field, Dervin and Simpson alert us to the current dangers of treating interculturality loosely in education. The authors engage in a dialogue to encourage readers to examine the meaning of interculturality and the state of research in education today, suggesting that we move beyond merely rehearsing theories, concepts and methods. More importantly they urge researchers, teachers and students to question Western-centric ideologies of interculturality. Intercultural and the Political Within Education is a must read for those who are dissatisfied with current intercultural research and education. It will be of great interest to researchers and students of the philosophy of education and those interested in the contemporary debates concerning ideologies, definitions and ownership of interculturality.