International Digital Studies Approach for Examining International Online Interactions

As global access to the Internet increases, so does the potential for miscommunication in international online interactions (IOIs). Unfortunately, many models for examining cross-cultural communication focus on conventional (offline) interactions or settings. As a result, researchers lack a mechanism for examining how cultural factors could affect online discourse. This article presents an approach—international digital studies—for examining how cultural factors could affect IOIs. The purpose of this approach is to identify points of contention or areas where online media can create conflicts in cultural expectations associated with credibility. Once identified, these points of contention can serve as the subject of future research related to culture and communication.