Identity and Intercultural Communication

Chapter 5 of Intercultural Communication for Everyday Life focuses on how identity plays a role in intercultural communication. Baldwin et al. (2023) explain that identity is complex and made up of many layers, including race, ethnicity, gender, nationality, religion, and more. These layers affect how we see ourselves and how we interact with others, especially when we come from different cultural backgrounds.

One thing that stood out to me in this chapter was the idea that we have both personal and social identities, and that the way we express or hide parts of our identity can depend on the situation. I’ve experienced this myself when I lived in Australia. Being Canadian, I already felt a bit different, but I also noticed how my habits, humor, and way of speaking made me stand out. I found myself adjusting how I talked or acted depending on who I was with especially when I didn’t want to seem too out of place. It wasn’t about being fake it was just about making it easier to connect.

This connects to the chapter’s point about code-switching, or changing how we speak or act depending on the setting. Baldwin et al. (2023) explain that many people do this as a way to fit in or avoid conflict. My experience in Australia helped me understand that adjusting how I express myself is something a lot of people do when navigating different cultural environments.

Going forward, I want to feel more confident being myself in all settings and also be more respectful of how others choose to express their identities. We all bring something unique to the table, and that diversity is a strength.