Book

Reflections on Intercultural Craftsmanship

Yvonne van der Pol’s book Reflections on Intercultural Craftsmanship offers an insightful and sometimes entertainingly fresh perspective on intercultural effectiveness. The starting point is our own cultural logic, the set of assumptions that we unwittingly take with us throughout our lives, and the manner in which they influence our interaction with people from a different cultural background. It is about our brain, about our intuitive mind that quickly reacts from our own deeply-rooted norms and values, about the impact of bias and stereotyping, and of course, about the development of intercultural competencies in order to become more interculturally effective.

Recognizable intercultural dilemmas

All professionals who work internationally, from entrepreneur to civil servant, will recognize the many intercultural dilemmas described in this book and can benefit from the varied perspectives offered. The collection consists of almost forty columns, the majority of which were previously published online by Vice Versa, as well as being extracts from inspirational newsletters sent out by Luz azul. For this publication, all of the columns have been updated and a number of more current topics have been added.

How to order the book?

The book was translated from Dutch to English by Lorna Verling-Morrison. The book is available at Amazon and BOL (ISBN: 9789402168419). The Dutch publication ‘Bespiegelingen over Intercultureel Vakmanschap’ can also be purchased at BOL (ISBN: 9789402157734)

Read the article (in Dutch) about the festive book launch at the Royal Tropical Institute here.