The Challenge of Facework

This book addresses the cross-cultural variations in the conceptions of face and facework from a multidisciplinary communication perspective. Facework represents one of the most important theoretical concepts available to us in contemporary communication literature as it encompasses a dynamic network of cross-cultural, social cognitive, affective, interpersonal, interactional, and identity issues. The book serves a dual purpose: to raise issues and to extend some of the current ideas in face and facework research in the cross-cultural and interpersonal communication settings, and to illuminate some specific directions for future research into the face and facework management process. Face and facework are presented in conjunction with phenomena such as politeness, request interaction, embarrassment, conflict, business negotiation, and international diplomacy.