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Historical Examination
Laura Haight
Intercultural/International Communication - Com 40164
Ottawa University
Michael Henry
November 8, 2015

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Why would it be important to examine the role of history in Intercultural Communication?
History is what creates culture. It is an important factor when understanding both our
own culture and the cultures of others. When people from differing cultural backgrounds
encounter one another, these differences can form hidden barriers to communication (Martin &
Nakayama, 2011, p. 67). Understanding a persons history can help us break those barriers and
better communicate with one another.
A persons culture can be better understood by understanding their history. For example, I
recently had a conversation with a Jewish gentleman regarding my tradition of celebrating
Christmas and his tradition of celebrating Hanukkah. We discussed my families catholic
religion and why we celebrate the Christmas holiday. He explained to me the joyous festival of
Hanukkah, also called the Festival of Lights, and why his custom is to celebrate his special
holiday. At that point, we both understood that it is because of history that we celebrate
Christmas and he celebrates Hanukkah. Historical narratives inevitably evolve over time; every
generation brings new questions, perspectives and insights to bear on the telling of stories about
the past (Levisohn, 2010, p. 17).
What are hidden histories and how might hidden histories affect intercultural interactions?
Hidden histories are just that. They are hidden. Hidden histories are missing certain facts.
They may have details left out of a story or never told in order to hide the truth or to stop history
from repeating itself. In order for history to be made, we must rely on people to retell and
properly record the facts. It would be impossible for years and years of history to be accurately
relayed, so a persons culture will typically change over time. In todays age, it is much easier for
history to be revealed. As science and technology evolve, it is possible that more and more
history can be revealed, but there is some hidden histories that science and technology cannot
reveal.
There is a part of my culture that has been hidden from me. For some reason, my father

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has never wanted to share anything about his side of the family. Every time any of us asks
questions, or brings up the fact that we know nothing about his side of the family, he becomes
angry and does not want to discuss it. We can only assume that something bad happened in my
dads family history. This is part of my history that I believe will always be hidden.
Compare and contrast family histories with national histories.
National history gives us a shared notion of who we are and solidifies our sense of
nationhood (Martin & Nakayama, 2011, p. 71). National history is very well known and
embraced by all of its people. It involves big and chronological events and important people.
This type of history is typically learned through written materials such as scholarly journals and
textbooks and told through historical narratives.
Family history can happen simultaneously with national history. It is the history of our
family. It is made up of moments shared with our family. The history can be written down and
photographed, but is usually passed along verbally through storytelling. We must rely on
previous generations to share family history and hope that future generations will carry the
history on. It is because of family history that I carry on my values, beliefs, and traditions.
How is the history of gays and lesbians relevant to intercultural communication?
In todays world, people are becoming more accepting of gays and lesbians. Consider the
changes that have been made in equal rights, insurance policies, and employment due to this
acceptance. Sexual orientation histories emphasize the significance of sexuality in
understanding the past and the present, yet these histories are often overlooked or silenced
(Martin & Nakayama, 2011, p. 77). It is important to know the struggles individuals have had to
go through in order to simply be themselves.
We must effectively communicate with all people in order to be successful in our
personal and our professional lives. This history is important in the fact that we should all know
that this acceptance was not always there. It also shows us how history can evolve and change.

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How we think and what we know about the past contribute to building and maintaining
communities and cultural identities (Martin & Nakayama, 2011, p. 78). This statement is so
true. We have to surround ourselves with many different types of people. It is important we
consider history to be respectful and understanding of people. We can focus on our ethical
obligation to recognize the pain of historically excluded minority and underrepresented groups
(Buddel, 2011, p. 143).
How can we negotiate histories in interactions?
It is important to know how to negotiate histories in interactions. We must educate
ourselves about history in order to have a greater understanding of the world that we live in. By
doing this we will have more effective communication, empathy, and interactions with others.
Our history is what makes us who we are. The desire to tell a story about the past is
motivated by some inadequacy of understanding, some question, either in oneself or in others
(Levisohn, 2010, p. 12). As we make choices in life, we consider our experiences and our history.
For example, I have a very close friend that I grew up with. Even though we have a lot in
common, her history is very different from mine. She had a mother who was an alcoholic and an
abusive father. Fortunately, I did not grow up under the same circumstances. Because of her
history, I have learned to be very careful in my communication with her. I choose not to gloat
about how good my childhood was and I am sensitive to the fact that her childhood was not very
good. I am very careful about my interactions with her.

References
Martin, J., & Nakayama, T. (2014). Experiencing intercultural communication: An
introduction. (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. ISBN: 9780078036927

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Levisohn, J.A. (2010). Negotiating Historical Narratives: An Epistemology of History for
History Education. Journal Of Philosophy Of Education, 44(1), 1-21
doi:10.1111/j.1467-9752.2010.00737.x
Buddel, N. (2011). Queering the Workplace. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services, 23(1),
131-146. doi:10.1080/10538720.2010.530176