Intercultural Interaction provides rapid and authoritative access to current ideas and practice in intercultural communication. Drawing on concepts and findings from a range of different disciplines and using authentic examples of intercultural interaction to illustrate points, it offers a wealth of insights into the process. Part 1 explores conceptual issues: the nature of culture and intercultural interaction competence; the impact of language and culture on understanding, rapport and impression management; cultural and adaptation processes. Part 2 deals with practical applications: how competence in intercultural interaction can be assessed and developed. Part 3 focuses on research: topic areas that can be investigated and methods and approaches for doing so. Part 4 provides a rich list of resources for further study. Written in a highly accessible style, the book will appeal to anyone interested in the complex field of intercultural interaction, including students, researchers, professional and practitioners.