The Concept of the “Polylogue” and the Question of “Intercultural” Identity

In this study, two different ideas will be analyzed, the concept of the polylogue, which was developed by Franz Martin Wimmer, and the assumption of an intercultural identity. The complementary relationship between the two ideas will be expounded. In a polylogue, individuals are confronted with several dialogue partners from different cultures simultaneously; the term is used to emphasize that many perspectives need to be considered, rather than just two, as the word dialogue seems to imply. Due to its different approach, the idea of the polylogue will profoundly affect the structure of intercultural communication. This study also takes the multicultural nature of actual reality into account, presupposes the human ability to accept different cultures, and attempts to explore the relations between interculturally capable individuals and multicultural society. Under the assistance of a conception of an intercultural identity, finding one’s identity not only involves one’s own pre-existing tradition but also includes influences from other cultures as well. Employing the concept of the polylogue and relying on the human capacity for multicultural acceptance, individuals should be able to construct their own personal intercultural identities and communicate with others interculturally.