Abstract: This paper presents a semiotic analysis focusing on the discursive level. This study investigates the figurative components, syntactical/grammatical features, and enunciative components of the signs embedded in Sundanese cultural spells, specifically Asihan Leugeut teuerup. A qualitative descriptive method was implemented to unveil the meanings and interpretations presented in the spells. The study discovered that: (1) the sign reference,... [...] Read more

Abstract: This study examines Sulayman Al Bassam’s adaptations of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Richard III, and Twelfth Night, analyzing how his reworkings critique political leadership in the contemporary Arab world and deconstruct the Western discourse on Islamic terrorism. Al Bassam utilizes the disruptive elements in Shakespeare’s original works to engage with issues of religious extremism, Western opportunism, and authoritarianism in Arab/Muslim... [...] Read more

Abstract: This sociolinguistic study explored the significance of language preservation through the use of indigenous forms of address by the Vhavenḓa in South Africa.  Indigenous forms of address are integral to the language and cultural identity of a society. Furthermore, they are indispensable in the preservation of the language and culture of any society. Ignoring the use of these forms of address can lead to language shift or even extinction. This... [...] Read more

Abstract: Prior research has shown that academic reading poses a significant challenge for university students. One of the primary explanations is the lack of a positive reading culture among university students. Several studies have demonstrated the positive and negative effects of various factors on reading cultures. Notably, some studies indicate that university students do not read books regularly, and their cultural surroundings discourage them... [...] Read more

Abstract: Poetry is a form of literature that depends on artistic images to express emotions, feelings, attitudes, etc. It is, however, assumed that poetry is a difficult genre to translate, since some of the poet's feelings, emotions, and visualizations are untranslatable despite the translator’s professionalism and experience. This study aims to shed light on the translatability of the figures of speech in Moore’s  English translation of Qabbani’s... [...] Read more

Abstract: This study explores the metaphorical and metonymical expressions of sadness and joy in French idiomatic expressions, collected from various media sources and YouTube channels. Using a qualitative research design, it applies the Extended Conceptual Metaphor Theory to analyze how these emotions are conceptualized through image schemas, domains, and mental spaces. A type-based approach is used to categorize the source domains underlying these... [...] Read more

Abstract: Creative idea withholding constitutes a significant yet insufficiently examined obstacle to organizational innovation, as unexpressed ideas cannot be evaluated or implemented. Although previous research has generally depicted emotional environments as uniformly advantageous for creativity and voice, recent perspectives indicate that emotional norms may also restrict expression by fostering self-censorship. Drawing on emotional culture theory,... [...] Read more

Abstract: This research aims to analyze how beauty brands communicate their messages through Instagram advertisements and determine whether Indonesian beauty standards have changed. This research uses a qualitative approach because it is still uncommon for a qualitative approach that analyzes how and why messages are formulated in beauty advertising. This research also uses a semiology analysis method to explore the meaning of communication messages... [...] Read more

Abstract: This study aims to the identification of cultural values contained in the Mbaru Niang traditional house as a guide in the life of the Wae Rebo community, which can be applied to learning. The methods of this research are qualitative, using an ethnographic approach, which can be applied in learning so that an in-depth description and analysis of cultural values is obtained. Data collection by interview guidelines, observation, and... [...] Read more

Abstract: The current study looks at the metaphors for rocks in Isabella Hammad's novel The Parisian (2019 ). It seeks to demonstrate how Isabella Hammad employs rock analogies to describe and provide an understanding into her characters, Midhat, Jamil, and Fatima. Midhat, who studied abroad, has a hyphenated identity and is portrayed as a compromise—less resistant, delicate, and adaptable. The inverse of the properties of the rocks/stones. The other... [...] Read more

Abstract: Cultural words usually pose some challenges to translators, especially when they translate texts into languages which are culturally different. This study investigates the translation of cultural items in The Forty Hadiths by Imam Al-Nawawi. It adopted the qualitative approach for selecting and analyzing the translation of culturally-bound items of the selected Prophet Mohammed’s hadiths posted on the Web by Sunnah.com. Moreover, it used... [...] Read more

Abstract: Considering words and the areas of the mind that they impact as two-dimensional shapes forms the theoretical basis from which intercultural communication between the West and Sub-Saharan Africa are examined. Unique shapes of words are illustrated as arising from their meeting with equally unique 'impactible areas' of people's minds, and cultures, resulting in transmitted and received shapes differing in a way related to lexical content at... [...] Read more

Abstract: : The street food content of YouTubers is an intercultural communication message to promote Chinese culture to viewers around the world.  This article aims to analyze cross-cultural interactivity in physical and online intercultural communication. The research uses a qualitative content analysis method continuously produced by non-Chinese-speaking YouTubers to communicate original Chinese culture to viewers outside China. The sample... [...] Read more

Abstract: This study examines the employment of persuasive strategies in informational emails that market products and/or services, illustrating how these strategies influence target customers and persuade them to make purchases. A corpus of 850 emails, encompassing over a million words, was compiled and analyzed using a mixed-method approach that integrated both quantitative and qualitative measures. The emails were collected between 2020 and 2021.... [...] Read more

Abstract: The study employs Western spiritual leadership theories yet is supposed to be from an Asian-Pakistani perspective. Associating Imran Khan’s (IK) political communication with these spiritual leadership theories would transform them into the eastern-cum-Asian context. IK and other world leaders may communicate distinctively in public interaction. Because political/religious leaders in Pakistan frequently utilise religious references in their... [...] Read more

Abstract: The domain of intercultural friendships between international and host national students represents a pivotal aspect of international higher education and intercultural communication. In response to the evident research gap within this realm, we conducted a phenomenological inquiry to explore how eight Omani students establish friendships with US host students and the factors that might either facilitate or impede these intercultural... [...] Read more

Abstract: This study aimed to obtain data from previous studies on the relevance culture of Islamic economic principles and democracy and welfare based on the Pancasila ideology. Our data search was conducted electronically on many international and national publications between 2010 and 2021. Furthermore, our data has been analyzed involving several techniques such as data analysis, interpretation, in-depth analysis of critical evaluation, and drawing... [...] Read more

Abstract: The objective of this research is to explore the impact of social media networks on the daily experiences of Arab-Bedouin adolescents. The study is based on semi-structured interviews with of 30 male youths from unrecognized villages in 2023. The outcomes highlight the significance of social media networks as an indispensable communication tool for males within a traditional societal structure, particularly for establishing connections with... [...] Read more

Abstract: Among the animated series that became very popular and witnessed tremendous success in the Arab world is the Japanese Detective Conan, which was first dubbed in 1998 and redubbed in 2013 to convey Islamic values. However, the re-dub did not attract wide viewership and remained infamous among the Arabic anime community. This study is an attempt to investigate the differences between the two versions with a particular emphasis on technical... [...] Read more

Abstract: Dwarfism is a rare genetic condition characterised by short stature. In many countries, including Ghana and Nigeria, anecdotal evidence indicates the employment of persons with dwarfism as actors and actresses in movies. However, there are limited studies on the experiences of persons with dwarfism within an African context. The current study attempted to fill this knowledge gap by exploring the portrayal of persons with dwarfism in African... [...] Read more

Abstract: This paper aims to examine how the Arab-British novelist Leila Aboulela portrays the distinctive relationship between her protagonist, Akuany, and the Nile in her recent novel, River Spirit (2023), set during the Mahdist Revolution (1881–1898). This study employs the geocritical approach to examine the interaction between physical spaces and human experiences, highlighting how landscapes influence identity and memory. It analyzes the river... [...] Read more

Abstract: This study examines Pearl S. Buck’s English translation of Shui Hu Zhuan (All Men Are Brothers) through a contextual, paratextual, and textual lens, with particular focus on her ideological positioning as a Western female translator depicting Chinese women. Grounded in postcolonial feminist theory, the research aims to explore how Buck’s bicultural identity and ideological stance influenced her translation choices, especially in the... [...] Read more

Abstract: Americans, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, and Vietnamese ( N =250) rated 57 random proposed conversation topics on a five-point scale (i.e., very good, good, neutral, bad, very bad) to a same-culture, same-sex school friend. Five factors emerge and are characterized as:  Familial Biographical Data ,  Skeletons in the Family Closet ,  Small Talk Topics ,  Personal Information Topics , and  Intimate Relations Topics . For the... [...] Read more

Abstract: Hall's encoding/decoding model has been widely used in mass media, but its potential in social media studies has not been explored thoroughly. To this end, this paper aims to broaden the fundamental principles and assumptions of the model and apply them to audience engagement and interaction in constructing cultural meaning through social media. By analysing the YouTube channel of Liziqi (Vlogger), this study adopts a two-stage content... [...] Read more

Abstract: This study examines the negotiation of cultural values in Lombok Islamic boarding schools through an intercultural perspective. Its main focus is to analyze how pesantren become an intercultural space for negotiating cultural diversity amid modernization, using Bourdieu's theory. A qualitative approach with critical ethnographic methods was used. Data were collected from 36 participants, in-depth interviews with key informants, and document... [...] Read more

Abstract: Certain typical elements of ancient Egyptian culture have already become particularly symbolically charged. Even today, this sort of fascination for ancient Egypt and its relevant things still exists. Many different showing examples about ancient Egyptian culture in a variety of domains around the world demonstrate people’s continued interest in it. This article discusses a song which was composed by Jay Chou, titled “Snake Dance”, and as a... [...] Read more

Abstract: This study aims to determine changes in employee performance after Covid 19 slowly began to change from a pandemic to an endemic regarding compassion, employee involvement, job satisfaction, and commitment. The sample used in this study was 200 employees working in the Jakarta area. The research data was collected through a questionnaire distributed in a Google Form. The sampling technique used the Non-Probability Sampling Analysis Model with... [...] Read more

Abstract: Cultural products, particularly films, are considered tools for exporting and diffusing the culture of one society to another. Films selected for international festivals are a case in point. However, subtitling such films for an audience of other languages is a demanding task. This challenge may negatively impact the films' qualification, although they may technically and aesthetically be evaluated and ranked on top. The attraction of the... [...] Read more

Abstract: Occidentalism has traditionally been regarded as a theoretical perspective through which the Arab “self” represents the Western “other.” Scholars who have made critical and insightful contributions to the development of the concept of Occidentalism within Arab literary traditions include Hasan Hanafi, Rasheed El-Enany, Zahia Smail Salhi, and most recently, Ahmed Shalabi and  Yousef Abu Amrieh. Shalabi and Abu Amrieh have proposed a new... [...] Read more

Abstract: This study aims to describe the dialogue with the ancestors in traditional events mot nini (burning candles), which is usually done by indigenous peoples in Noemuti Village, North Central Timor. The method that was used for this study is ethnographic analysis. The research used a qualitative research method by direct observation and interviews. The description of this study is also based on a realist ethnographic analysis. From the research... [...] Read more

Abstract: The workforce in South Africa has seen significant transformation, with many organizations now collaborating with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds. Cultural diversity influences behavior and interactions among employees, who may find it challenging to navigate communication with colleagues from different cultures. This article explores workers' perceptions of intercultural communication approaches in the workplace. Using a... [...] Read more

Abstract: The paralingual structure of the theatrical concepts,particulary those of the postmodernist trends,successfully break the linguistic barriers in the communication of the theatrical play - spectator - recipient in the art of thetre.I would say that the international theatre festivals who are treated assuch in their programs,in their own way,manage to maintain complete communication between the artistic forms on several culture structures... [...] Read more

Abstract: Pottery making among the Awajún has historically been a feminine practice that intertwined technical expertise, symbolic prestige, and community legitimacy. In recent decades, however, this practice has been reshaped by market-oriented logics and "cultural rescue" initiatives that have altered its original meanings and social functions. This study explores how the transformation of traditional Awajún pottery, historically a ritual, feminine,... [...] Read more

Abstract: This study explores the lived experiences of religious tourism and intercultural communication at the Loang Baloq Tomb in West Lombok, Indonesia—a sacred site where spiritual pilgrimage and local cultural practices converge. Using a phenomenological approach, the research investigates how visitors, caretakers, and community members interact, perform rituals, and make meaning within a shared sacred environment. Drawing on interviews with 25... [...] Read more

Abstract: The present study investigates how positive and negative intergroup contact experiences relate to attitudes toward multiculturalism and assimilation, and examines whether these relationships are mediated by intergroup anxiety, intergroup threat, and pro-diversity beliefs. A secondary analysis was conducted using cross-sectional survey data from a sample of German university students. Structural equation modeling was applied to test the... [...] Read more

Abstract: This research comprises two studies that examined cultural differences in nonverbal expressivity between Japan and Korea. While prior research has highlighted East–West contrasts, less attention has been given to distinctions within collectivistic cultures. Employing the psychological construct of self-construal (subjective, objective, and autonomous selves), which is thought to distinguish Japanese and Korean cultures, we investigated how... [...] Read more

Abstract: Developing intercultural communicative competence among Chinese university students is essential in the era of globalization; however, disparities persist between ranked universities and general universities. While RUs benefit from extensive internationalization resources, general universities often lack structured intercultural communication instruction and opportunities due to resource disparities, prestige, or geographic constraints, and... [...] Read more

Abstract: This paper investigates the interplay between language and intercultural communication with a special focus on the importance of working knowledge of foreign languages other than English for a satisfactory experience during longer sojourns abroad. Its authors present a revised understanding of the role of lingua franca English and a local language (here Polish) in intercultural relationships, especially the crucial influence of local... [...] Read more

Abstract: This article seeks to highlight the experiences and agency of KwaZulu-Natal women through the theoretical lenses of African Feminism and the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (SLA), foregrounding intersectional dynamics of gender, class, and rurality. The paper explores how rural women negotiate structural poverty, climate vulnerability, gender inequality, and socio-cultural constraints while exercising agency in livelihood strategies. Hence,... [...] Read more