Synthesis

Identity, indeed, has been one of the most ubiquitous concepts in the field of intercultural communication and across social sciences. Focusing on the microlevel phenomenon of communication between individuals of dis­similar cultural backgrounds, and defining intercultural conflict as a state of stress or strain in the communicative relationship, the present examination of the pertinent literature has shown two broad and interrelated trends in academic perspectives on identity, parallel­ing the pluralistic ideological shift in the United States and beyond: (1) an increased emphasis on activism in academic research on behalf of traditionally disadvantaged cultural groups and (2) the corresponding rise in research inter­ests in the collective dimension of an individu­al’s identity, commonly referred to as cultural identity, ethnic identity, and racial identity.