Auf der Grundlage empirisch erhobenen Sprachmaterials untersucht die Studie das diskursive Aushandeln von Sprache und Identität innerhalb der intimsten "Community of Practice (CofP)", der Ehe zwischen interkulturellen Sprachpartnern. Die Studie ist in die sozialpsychologischen Konzepte von Identität und "Positioning" eingebettet. So wird am Beispiel von Interviews mit interkulturellen Paaren - genauer: englische Muttersprachler/innen, die mit deutschsprachigen Schweizer/innen verheiratet sind, in einer diglossen Sprachregion in der Zentralschweiz leben und über drei Jahre interviewt wurden - die Verhandlung und Performanz hybrider Identitäten analysiert und gezeigt, wie "doing Swiss" diskursiv ko-konstruiert und ausgehandelt wird. This book presents an empirical study that examines intercultural couples' reasons for specific language practices and investigates the negotiation and performances of hybrid identities within the marital unit, the most intimate community of practice (CofP). The theoretical framework adopted draws on the sociocultural linguistic approach to identity and the social psychological theory of positioning. The data stem from ethnographic observation and recordings carried out over a three-year period with intercultural couples, namely Anglophones married to native German-speaking Swiss, who reside in central Switzerland, where a diglossic situation prevails. The positionings individuals take up or refute indicate that the performance of "doing Swiss" is not only discursively co-constructed, but a site where the negotiation of meaning emerges within the context of social interaction.

While cross-cultural relations were once assumed to be inherently problematic, in recent years these couples have increased in both numbers and social acceptance, and there is now a growing awareness of how little we really know about them. Addressing this gap in our knowledge, this book presents 12 chapters focusing on cross-cultural couple formations (i.e., a partner from the U.S. and another from abroad). Highlighting both the struggles and successes of couples, this book challenges the principle of homogamy, helping the reader gain a deeper understanding and respect for intercultural couples. The chapters tackle a broad range of topics and issues, including systemic considerations of the phenomenon of cross-cultural couples, bilingual couples, interfaith relationships, struggles in such couple formations, different methods of approaching solutions, and the use of the internet to meet partners from diverse backgrounds.

Bystydzienski provides a comprehensive understanding of the multidimensional experiences of intercultural couples, drawing mainly upon in-depth interviews with persons living in domestic partnerships representing a broad spectrum of ethnic, racial, religious, socioeconomic, and national backgrounds.

In an increasingly global and connected world, marriages between spouses of different countries and cultures are on the rise. Marla Alupoaicei, herself wed to a Romanian, helps couples sort through such issues as food, finances, family, and such “hidden” problems as different understandings of what it means to be “on time.” Marla combines real-life stories with expert perspectives and biblical insight for a helpful guide both for those just starting out on the intercultural adventure – and those in the midst of it. You'll get practical and biblical advice for handling the most common intercultural conflicts, including: Planning your wedding Communication Understanding each other's values Different views of time Agreeing on food Managing finances Intimacy Raising children Handling illness and grief

Marital concord between couples from different racial and ethnic backgrounds is an issue that needs serious attention to bridge the vast chasms. America welcomes people from all over the world. People of all religions and ethnic backgrounds come here to study and migrants arrive here to work. Interracial marriages are common but the radically different background of each couple can create discords and prove to be bumps on the highway of conjugal life. This can have serious repercussions on the offspring and on the couple and their lives as well. This book seeks to investigate how cultural realities can be addressed within intercultural premarital couples counseling. Using a cultural focus approach couples’ stories around their particular culture and relationship were analyzed. Themes related to relationship, family and social ties, and parenting bi-cultural and bi-racial children were examined. Issues of religious and social influence, money, race, ethnicity, extended family, immigration, and biases in family of origin, are explored as are roles and responsibilities, communication, respect, trust, and gender-stereotyping. The book adopts a pastoral theological approach in working towards a deeper understanding of premarital relationships of partners who represent cultural difference and diversity. In conclusion recommendations to therapists and care givers for counseling intercultural couples are made.

In the globalization era, social media become more popular in everyone's daily life with its user friendly and effective functions. Social media support the people across the world in communicating, meeting new people, making socialization, sharing knowledge, learning different experiences and interacting with each other instead of distance and separation between persons. Moreover, social media can encourage the increasing of intercultural adaptation level of people who are facing different cultural experiences in new communities. The study shows that people use social media to become more adaptable with the new cultures of the host countries and to preserve their connections with home countries.

Volume III of The Handbook of Systemic Family Therapy focuses on therapy with couples. Information on the effectiveness of relational treatment is included along with consideration of the most appropriate modality for treatment. Developed in partnership with the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT), it will appeal to clinicians, such as couple, marital, and family therapists, counselors, psychologists, social workers, and psychiatrists. It will also benefit researchers, educators, and graduate students involved in CMFT.

This textbook provides undergraduate and graduate students with a comprehensive and in-depth exploration of the primary models of couples counseling, allowing them to compare and contrast each theory alongside a single case. Designed to be the core text for couple therapy courses, the book begins by introducing the field as well as presenting Carissa and Steve, a couple whom readers will follow as each model is applied to their case. The chapters focus on 11 different theoretical models such as Bowen family systems theory, emotionally focused couple therapy, the Gottman method, solution-focused couples counseling, narrative couple therapy, and more, with expert therapists writing on each of these unique models. Each chapter addresses the history of the model, the conceptualization of problem formation, diversity considerations, and the conceptualization of problem resolution. With session transcripts throughout, this book allows training therapists to easily compare, contrast, and apply the most prevalent models in couples counseling. This textbook is a core text for graduate marriage and family therapy, mental health counseling, clinical psychology, and social work students. The book is also useful for practicing professionals who want to explore how to apply a specific model of counseling to couples.

Language fundamentally defines and distinguishes us as humans, as members of society, and as individuals. As we go through life, our relationship with language and with learning shifts and changes, but it remains significant. This book is an up-to-date resource for graduate students and researchers in second language (L2) acquisition who are interested in language learning across the lifespan. The main goal is to survey and evaluate what is known about the linguistic-cognition-affect associations that occur in L2 learning from birth through senescence (passing through the stages of childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and third age), the extent to which L2 acquisition may be seen as contributing to healthy and active aging, the impact of the development of personalized, technology-enhanced communicative L2 environments, and how these phenomena are to be approached scientifically and methodologically. The effects of certain specific variables, such as gender, socio-economic background, and bilingualism are also analyzed, as we argue that chronological age does not determine the positioning of L2 learners across the lifespan: age is part of a complex web of social distinctions such as psychological and individual factors that intersect in the construction of a learner’s relative status and opportunities.