Harun Minah
MALAY-CHINESE INTERETHNIC COMMUNICATION IN MALAYSIA: AN
ANALYSIS OF SENSEMAKING IN EVERYDAY EXPERIENCES
A dissertation presented to the faculty of the Scripps College of Communication of Ohio University
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Minah Harun
March 2007
This dissertation entitled
MALAY-CHINESE INTERETHNIC COMMUNICATION IN MALAYSIA: AN
ANALYSIS OF SENSEMAKING IN EVERYDAY EXPERIENCES
by
MINAH HARUN
has been approved for the School of Communication Studies and the Scripps College of Communication by
Claudia L. Hale
Professor of Communication Studies
Gregory J. Shepherd
Dean, Scripps College of Communication
Abstract
HARUN, MINAH, Ph.D., March 2007, Communication Studies
MALAY-CHINESE INTERETHNIC COMMUNICATION IN MALAYSIA: AN
ANALYSIS OF SENSEMAKING IN EVERYDAY EXPERIENCES
(370 pp.)
Director of Dissertation: Claudia L. Hale
This dissertation explores everyday communication patterns among ethnic Malays and Chinese in multicultural Malaysia. Specifically, the study examines communication strategies and the concept of sensemaking (Weick, 1969, 1979, 1995) in interethnic interpersonal communication processes. Because interethnic communication requires individuals, as social organisms (Blumer, 1969), to possess intercultural sensitivity
(Condon & Yousef, 1975; Orbe, 1995), the notions of ethnicized knowledge and sensemaking in interactions involving different Asian groups merit further examination.
In order to engage in this work, researchers must get inside the defining process of the socially diverse actors to further understand their symbolic (inter)actions (Blumer, 1969).
This study demonstrates how ethnic sensemaking is co-constructed and represented through the dynamics of negotiated strategies including tactical ambiguities in interpersonal interethnic relationships. Data for the study were collected through a qualitative interpretive approach which included in-situ observations in a natural setting
and
ANALYSIS OF SENSEMAKING IN EVERYDAY EXPERIENCES
A dissertation presented to the faculty of the Scripps College of Communication of Ohio University
In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree
Doctor of Philosophy
Minah Harun
March 2007
This dissertation entitled
MALAY-CHINESE INTERETHNIC COMMUNICATION IN MALAYSIA: AN
ANALYSIS OF SENSEMAKING IN EVERYDAY EXPERIENCES
by
MINAH HARUN
has been approved for the School of Communication Studies and the Scripps College of Communication by
Claudia L. Hale
Professor of Communication Studies
Gregory J. Shepherd
Dean, Scripps College of Communication
Abstract
HARUN, MINAH, Ph.D., March 2007, Communication Studies
MALAY-CHINESE INTERETHNIC COMMUNICATION IN MALAYSIA: AN
ANALYSIS OF SENSEMAKING IN EVERYDAY EXPERIENCES
(370 pp.)
Director of Dissertation: Claudia L. Hale
This dissertation explores everyday communication patterns among ethnic Malays and Chinese in multicultural Malaysia. Specifically, the study examines communication strategies and the concept of sensemaking (Weick, 1969, 1979, 1995) in interethnic interpersonal communication processes. Because interethnic communication requires individuals, as social organisms (Blumer, 1969), to possess intercultural sensitivity
(Condon & Yousef, 1975; Orbe, 1995), the notions of ethnicized knowledge and sensemaking in interactions involving different Asian groups merit further examination.
In order to engage in this work, researchers must get inside the defining process of the socially diverse actors to further understand their symbolic (inter)actions (Blumer, 1969).
This study demonstrates how ethnic sensemaking is co-constructed and represented through the dynamics of negotiated strategies including tactical ambiguities in interpersonal interethnic relationships. Data for the study were collected through a qualitative interpretive approach which included in-situ observations in a natural setting
and