Intercultural Learning Arising from Pan-European Collaboration: A community of practice with a ‘hole in the middle’

Abstract

This article analyses the inter-cultural learning that arose from engaging in collaborative research with partners in several European countries. It adopts a sociocultural approach, starting with a description of the pressures of accountability arising from the contractual context of a European-funded project. Wenger's model of a community of practice and semiotic analysis based on Geertz's definition of culture are used as tools for understanding the social practices that developed in the course of working together. Three narrative vignettes provide 'thick descriptions' of the experience of 'being there' at project meetings. Each is followed by a passage of reflection and detailed discussion of an issue arising from practice: the first relating to the use of the English language as the project's working language, the second to the use of email as a main means of communication, and the third to differences in the interpretation of a key methodological concept. The inter-cultural learning that resulted from engaging in this community of practice is then summarised and the paper ends with reflections upon the methodology adopted.