Pedagogical Approaches To Intercultural Competence Development

Book Review

Abstract

The volume generously provided by Cambridge Scholars Publishing in 2020 and edited by Christine E. Poteau entitled Pedagogical Approaches to Intercultural Competence Development is organized into seven chapters. Beyond the generic theme of interest under which they come together (Pedagogical Approaches to Intercultural Competence Development) and which gives unity to the volume, each chapter is a small universe in itself, unique, interesting, topical, and attractive as a perspective of approach, design, arguments, contents, applications, implications, bibliography. Therefore, the volume can be covered in full, as a holistic approach to the phenomenon, or by chapters, depending on the interest of the reader and his area of ​​expertise. In full agreement with the theme (and, as it were, to increase the diversity of perspectives), it is proposed as a volume that brings together contributions from different geographical and socio-cultural areas (Brazil, Hawaii, Israel, Japan, USA, Ukraine), to researchers and educators with backgrounds in various fields, concerned with the same major problem (enhancing pedagogical approaches and expanding intercultural competence skill development) and finding solutions that, beyond their immediate focus can allow the emergence of suggestions with a higher degree of applicability or generation of explanatory models. That is why, although the analyses are focused on different specific aspects of the problem (in each chapter), the perspective of approach/solution is one that rises towards the global, in which the answers and proposals of the authors are related to the interdisciplinary approach (e.g.: the need to globalize curricula and identify diverse pedagogical challenges in the development of intercultural competence). One of the effects aimed at following this journalistic approach refers precisely to the development of initiatives across fields of experiential learning and the initiation of cooperation programs for a stronger global community.