New Media and Intercultural Communication

At the start of the second decade of the new millennium, there is increasing awareness of the development of newer 'smart' and more interactive media in precipitate speed in many parts of the world. The concept of change in contrast to continuity is central to the increasing interest in digital media. This focus has not, however, been vigorously matched by substantive theoretical discussions, or by extensive empirical examinations of computer-mediated communication and intercultural communication. Against such a backdrop, contributors to this volume offer theoretical insights, fresh evidence and rich applications in assessing the nature of digital culture(s) in order to address assumptions about the present state of mediated global society(ies) and the trajectory into the future. Chapters explore what happens in praxis when digital media are implemented across cultures and are contested and negotiated within complex local and political conditions. Special attention is given to showcasing prominent interpretative and critical research from diverse voices in multiple locations across the world and with varying backgrounds. As such, this volume presents a rich and colorful tapestry that offers opportunities for comparative analyses and deepened international understandings of digital media connections, particularly in the areas of identity, community and politics.