Mediating Cultures

Parenting in Intercultural Contexts

Contributions by Carlos Aleman, Melissa Aleman, Nicole Blau, Chin-Chung Chao, Ali E. Erol, May H. Gao, Joris Gjata, Souhad Kahil, Tara Shenoy Kulkarni, Kimberly Moffitt, Natalia Rybas, Suchitra Shenoy-Packer, Dexin Tian, Candice Thomas-Maddox, Jennifer Willis-Rivera University of Wisconsin R, Deanna Womack Edited by Alberto González Bowling Green State University, Tina M. Harris Louisiana State University

Publication date:

14 December 2012

Length of book:

170 pages

Publisher

Lexington Books

Dimensions:

236x157mm
6x9"

ISBN-13: 9780739179543

This book explores the communication challenges faced by parents as they raise children who are bi-cultural, multi-cultural, or are adopted from a heritage other than the parents. Each contributor views the family as a site of intercultural dialogue and mediation, and uses compelling studies throughout to examine the parents who creatively balance cultural influences within their families. Using television depictions of parents on Modern Family and All-American Muslim to the everyday activities of mixed-ethnicity and international families, Mediating Cultures reports the communication strategies employed by the parents as they strive to create affirming relationships between children and their heritages. This collection brings together two largely separate literatures of family communication and intercultural communication studies with accessible yet context-driven studies to explain how families integrate multiple cultural heritages and perspectives.

Introduction: Parenting in Intercultural Contexts, Alberto González and Tina M. Harris
Section I: Interpersonal Settings and Intercultural Parenting
Chapter One: Digging (in) the Playground: (In)visibility of Difference in Multicultural Parenting, Natalia Rybas
Chapter Two: Cultural Ambiguity, Ethnic Identity, and the Bicultural Experience:
South Asian Indian Parents and their American-born Kids, Suchitra Shenoy and Tara A. Kulkarni
Chapter Three: The Trouble With Family Stories, Melissa Aleman and Carlos Aleman
Chapter Four: How Caucasian Parents Communicate Identity to Chinese Adopted Daughters, May H. Gao and Deanna Womack
Chapter Five: Black Parenting in The White House: The Emergence of an Intercultural Model, Kimberly Moffet
Section II: Media, Social Networks and Intercultural Parenting
Chapter Six: Islam in the Midwest: Parental Values in The Learning Channel’s All American Muslim, Souhad Kahil
Chapter Seven: Googling “Latin@”: Using Technology to Construct Cultural Identity in a Bicultural Family, Jennifer Willis-Rivera
Chapter Eight: Like Tiger Mother, Like Tiger Daughter: A Content Analysis of Eastern and Western Parenting Styles, Chin-Chung (Joy) Chao and Dexin Tian
Chapter Nine: We’re Not Like the Cleavers Any More!: Diversity and Parenting Communication in ABC’s Modern Family, Candice Thomas-Maddox and Nicole Blau
Epilogue: The Future and Multicultural Parenting
Chapter Ten: “Dogmamis çocuga don biçmek”: Visions of a Multicultural Family, Ali E. Erol and Joris Gjata

With a few notable exceptions, cultural diversity has been overlooked and neglected in family communication literature. I am delighted to see the publication of Mediating Cultures, which focuses so clearly on filling this void. The chapters are all situated at the nexus of intercultural communication and family communication, and this is a welcome addition to the field.