Cultures in contact

What transpires when people with different cultural backgrounds come into contact with each other? This book brings together in one volume the main concepts, theories, empirical findings and some of the practical applications of cross-cultural interaction. Each chapter is an original contribution by an acknowledged authority in the field and the book is divided into three main sections: theoretical and historical perspectives; processes, including chapters on social interaction between culturally disparate individuals, the function of gestures in cross-cultural communication, and linguistic bridges between different cultural groups; and outcomes, including chapters on sojourners learning the cultural skills of their second culture and the effects of tourism on tourists and their hosts.--Back cover.