Traditional theories conceptualized immigrants' adjustment to new societies at the cultural and individual/psychological levels and did not consider the role of socio-historical and political contexts. Through ten in-depth interviews, we examined how colonial discourses about Africa and US racial politics shaped African international students' relations with White Americans, African Americans, and Non-White/Non-Black/Non-Native Americans of Other Races and Ethnicities and, consequently, their adaptation to the US. Findings reveal that based on contextual interpretations of bodies, African students exercised their agency in differentially (dis)connecting with the various host society groups and strategically adopting identities (Africanness, Blackness, and otherness) in adjusting to the US. Hence, our study underscores the significance of an embodied approach when examining adaptation-neglecting this perspective obscures vital (dis)connections that unfold within the contextually nuanced realm of body politics.

PurposeThis study aims to test whether a) differences existed in dissent expression between women in management and nonmanagement positions and b) the differences varied between white women and women of color.Design/methodology/approachResponses from 1,011 employed women in the US were analyzed for the study.FindingsResults revealed that in management vs nonmanagement status, women employees were more likely to express upward dissent and employ dissent strategies that signified both influence and lack of influence in organizations. However, race-based differences existed in the expressions of some forms of dissent.Originality/valueResearch has shown that employees in management vs nonmanagement status express more upward dissent and employ dissent strategies that signify influence in organizations. However, can this be the case for women employees? Although previous research has explored dissent expression extensively in US organizations, women employees' dissent expression has not received much attention in social-scientific studies. In these studies, gender and race were treated as mere demographic variables to describe sample compositions despite these variables being influential factors in organizational life. Through an intersectional approach to identities, this study's findings call upon organizations to address iniquities that limit dissent expression based on identity hierarchies.

Abstract This study focused on the relationships between host national (host interpersonal communication) and home national (ethnic interpersonal communication) involvements and preferences for conflict management styles in the context of a conflict with a member of the host culture. Two hypotheses that examined the relationships between these variables and the preferences for the integrating, the compromising, the avoiding, the obliging and the dominating styles were proposed. Survey data from two hundred and sixty-nine, international and exchange, students were analyzed. The results revealed that the level of host national involvement positively predicted the preferences for the integrating and the obliging styles, and the level of home national involvement positively predicted the preference for the avoiding style. These findings suggest the need to consider contextual influences in understanding the complexities that underlie intercultural communication and adaptation.

This study explores the relationships among perceptions of social support from family and friends, Intercultural Communication Apprehension (ICA) and intercultural conflict management preferences. Two hundred and ninety students, comprising primarily of international students, participated in the study. The results of the study revealed that, in regards to handling conflict with members of the host culture, increased perceptions of social support from family and friends lowered the level of ICA, and the decrease in the level of ICA led to increased preferences for the integrating and the compromising styles and decreased preferences for the avoiding and the dominating styles. Hence, the results of the study suggest that the influence of the perceptions of social support may extend beyond the mere alleviation of acculturative stress and psychological well-being and may have implications for the integration of immigrants and sojourners into the host culture.

The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between mental distress, measured in terms of the levels of anxiety and depression, and the preferences for various face concerns and conflict management styles. Two hundred and ninety respondents, comprising primarily of international students, participated in the study. The results revealed that the level of anxiety positively predicted the preferences for self-face concern and the avoiding conflict style and negatively predicted the preferences for mutual-face concern and the integrating conflict style. Similarly, the level of depression positively predicted the preference for the avoiding conflict style, approached significance in the positive direction in predicting the preference for self-face concern, and negatively predicted the preferences for mutual-face concern and the integrating conflict style. The results raise questions about the likelihood of individuals, under conditions of mental distress, actively engaging in the management of conflict and displaying behaviors that integrate concerns of self and the other.

This study analyzes the influence of sex, education, religion, and religiosity on the relationship between argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness. Verbal aggressiveness is a less acceptable way to approach disagreement than argumentativeness. Argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness were not significantly related. Further analysis revealed that male participants were significantly more verbally aggressive, individuals with higher education were less verbally aggressive, and religiosity decreased verbal aggressiveness. Moreover, Mainline Protestants were generally more verbally aggressive than other religious groups.

This study looked at the identification seeking strategies of a low face-toface member-contact organization, The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. I used thematic analysis to identify the strategies that the organization used to seek the identification of its members. Findings of the study showed that by emphasizing membership as an exclusive privilege, recognizing the individual as a symbol of excellence, celebrating member achievements, inviting member contributions, emphasizing commitment to diversity, emphasizing organizational symbolism and highlighting testimonials of appreciation, the organization tried to seek the identification of its members. In many of the above-mentioned strategies, the overarching theme of elitism was evident. This raises certain pertinent questions pertaining to organizational identification.

PurposeThis study sets out to examine conflict style preferences in India and the predictive effects of various demographic variables on conflict style preference.Design/methodology/approachData were gathered in India (n=827) among Muslims and Hindus. Conflict was measured using Oetzel's Conflict Style Measure. To answer the research questions, repeated measures ANOVA and multiple regressions were conducted.FindingsThe findings reveal that conflict style preference among Hindus in India differs significantly and that Hindus prefer the integrating and dominating styles, whilst showing the least inclination towards the avoiding and obliging styles. Muslims prefer the integrating and compromising styles and least prefer the dominating and avoiding styles. Analyses of the demographic variables' predictive influence reveal that age and sex are significant predictors for all five conflict styles for both Muslims and Hindus. Education has a mixed predictive influence on conflict style among Hindus and Muslims.Research limitations/implicationsUse of self‐report instruments and the majority of the participants coming from middle‐class backgrounds could limit the generalizability of the study.Practical implicationsThe study calls for conflict mediators to consider the influence of group membership and educational level on conflict management/resolution. The research also discusses national/international conflict intervention.Social implicationsThis paper informs individuals regarding the way in which two large religious and cultural groups differ in their approaches to conflict. For a nation that has experienced a history of conflict between these two cultural/religious groups, this paper can help shed light on how to bridge the conflict between them.Originality/valueThere are no studies directly comparing the conflict styles of Muslims and Hindus.

This study analyzes the differences in argumentativeness between France and Britain. A total of 521 individuals in France (n = 244) and Britain (n = 277) participated in this study. Results indicate British Christians had a lower level of argumentativeness than French Christians. Religiosity was a nonsignificant predictor of total argumentativeness in France. However, in Britain, religiosity significantly predicted 37% of total argumentativeness.

This paper discusses a survey, carried out by the authors, of Hindu and Muslim men and women in six Indian states to determine if social/cultural identities influenced self-disclosure. Specifically, an individual's sex, religious, and state identity were investigated. Results indicated that across religions, women disclosed more than men. Comparisons based on religious identification and state of birth revealed significant differences between Hindus and Muslims and between states of birth on self-disclosure. Results also suggest the predictive power of religious identification and state of birth vary dependent upon the dimensions of self-disclosure. Implications for future research include further examination of aspects of identity related to self-disclosure. Keywords: Self-DisclosureIdentityCultureIndiaDemographic Differences Notes Note [1] In a previous confirmatory factor analysis of the measure of religiosity, the results were: χ2 = 139.45, RMSEA = .077, CFI = .926, p = .041. The reference for this CFA was excluded but provided to the editor to protect the blind-review process.

This is an examination of the ethnic media use of French and British Muslims. A total of 677 Muslims participated in the study. Analysis reveals being an immigrant or a native of a nation does not significantly influence ethnic media use in France but does in Britain. Ethnic identification was also revealed as an influential predictor of ethnic media use among Muslims in France but not in Britain. Religiosity significantly predicted ethnic media use among British Muslims. The article argues religiosity and ethnic identification should be included in studies examining media use among ethnic groups.

Christians and Muslims were recruited from France (n = 600), Britain (n = 568), and the United States (n = 1,176) to complete a survey assessing the relationship between argumentativeness and an individuals' self-construal. Correlation analysis revealed the relationships between self-construal, argumentativeness, and religiousness were significantly opposite those predicted. Hierarchical regression modeling results revealed national and religious identification to each have significant effects on the relationship between self-construal and argumentativeness. Religiousness did not have a significant effect on the relationship between argumentativeness and an individual's self-construal. Overall, an individual's culture was shown to significantly influence one's level of argumentativeness.

Media help in the formation of identity. For ethnic communities, ethnic media can play a dual role, aiding in the acculturation process and assisting in holding onto ethnic identities. This study examines media and identity negotiation. Specifically, this study analyzes differences in media usage among French-Muslims. The principal researcher interviewed 42 first and second generation French-Muslims to explore their media usage and the relationships between their media usage and ethnic identification. Analysis uncovered two key findings. First, second-generation French-Muslims prefer to use ethnic media more than French produced media as a form of protest against French assimilationist policies. Second, abandoning ethnic media is equated with becoming French, which is something first and second generation French-Muslims resist. Keywords: Media UsageAssimilation/AcculturationIslam Notes Note [1] When an interview transcript is provided in English, this means the participant spoke English during the interview. Moreover, the transcript is provided without grammatical correction to protect the integrity of the participants' words. When transcripts are provided in French, this means the interviewee spoke French for the interview; a subsequent English translation is provided after the French transcript. The principal investigator, who has studied French for more than 10 years and researched in France for more than 5 years, did the first translations. A native North African French speaker then checked these translations.

This study examines the relationship between intercollegiate forensics competitors' organizational identification and organizational culture. Through a survey analysis of 314 intercollegiate forensics students, this study reports three major findings. First, this study found male competitors identify with forensics programs more than female competitors do. Second, this study found African-American competitors identify with their programs more than other ethnicities do. Third, the correlation between organizational identification and organizational cultural understanding is multidimensional with positive and negative correlations between organizational identification and different factors of organizational culture. The nature of forensics and team social support are discussed as reasons for student identification.