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Boundary Fit in Intercultural Communication
Sometimes, peoples attitude to boundary lines is so negative that we hear

calls to get rid of all boundaries or at least avoid them. Yet, as must be clear from our
earlier discussion, boundary lines are crucial for the creation of cultural identity and
for intercultural communication, overall.
It could be that those whose attitude is so negative think of walls rather than
boundary lines; as Robert Frost writes in one of his poems, “Something there is that
doesn’t love a wall, That wants it down.” Indeed, in such cases communication is
often prevented or undercut; one hits a wall, so to speak, because, just as much as
walls keep peoples out, walls also keep peoples in. In this way, just as much walls
distort the view of those on the outside, walls distort the view of those on the inside.
In other words, in distorting our view of each other, walls ultimately distort our view of
ourselves. (Rodriguez, 2008)
We are much better off thinking of intercultural communication in terms of

“human nature as having permeable boundaries” (Abrams et al., 2003, p. 217). It is
crucial to understand that boundaries are made to be crossed. In other words,
boundaries not only allow but also call for various crossings, and so an essential skill
—especially in todays complex world—“is the ability to interact across cultural
boundaries” (Tennekoon, 2015, p. 1). Every boundary crossing is an interactive,
intersubjective experience. Only by crossing boundaries can new possibilities be
created in intercultural communication and only at cultural intersections can new
identities be forged (Chen & Lin, 2016; McConachy, 2018).
So, instead of calling for the elimination of all boundaries or avoiding them,
we should be ready for—and welcome—boundary crossings. In the process of
intercultural communication, we must make sure that boundary lines are respected
and agreed upon, perceived as constructive by people from all interacting cultures.
People must strive for a boundary fit as an agreement on the nature of a boundary
line between them; such “boundary wisdom helps interactants challenge their own
core cultural values at the same time when facing the challenge from their culturally
different counterpart” (Chen, 2013, p. 1).
Soft boundaries
Boundary lines can be hard or soft, depending upon how difficult or easy it is for an
out-group to communicate with an in-group. Soft boundaries are lines not as deeply
engraved and easier to change and cross in the process of intercultural interactions.
For instance, according to a recent article focused on the analysis of symbolic
productions (Rigaud et al., 2018), there were complex interactions between Early
Neolithic farming cultures in the western Mediterranean area. The circulation and
exchange of pottery decorations and personal ornaments was made possible by
flexible boundaries between these groups, reflecting the high level of their mobility
and rapid expansion in the area.
Another example of a good boundary fit is interaction of the Amish people

with the broader American culture that constantly undergoes boundary crossings. For
instance, while their commitment to staying off the electricity grid used to be a given,
1
now some Amish small businesses find it impractical; also, more Amish are now
beginning to use the Internet and social media (Stuhldreher, 2016). At the same time,
the boundaries are being crossed more often from the side of the broader American
culture, as people engage with the Amish in discussions about life after death or
participate in Bible readings with Amish families (Park, 2018).
Hard boundaries
Hard boundaries are lines deeply engraved within a culture and more difficult to
change and cross in the process of intercultural interaction. Sometimes, it seems that
the boundary line is so negative and deeply engraved that it appears to be
impermeable, with no boundary fit possible. However, boundary lines are, first and
foremost, ideas that take many different forms and undergo changes, sometimes
quick and dramatic ones: think of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Or, take the example of a
dramatic change in the boundary lines in the former Yugoslavia where people from
the same communities saw themselves, all of a sudden, as members of different
ethnic groups. The aggressive behavior of former neighbors, friends, and even
spouses, which the international community often found difficult to understand, was
the consequence of a changed boundary fit (Petronio et al., 1998).
It is crucial to remember that even the hardest boundaries change because

our conceptualizations change; it is said that nothing can stop an idea whose time
has come. Boundary lines change because people can change their
conceptualizations of themselves and others. In this respect, a boundary fit can be
more or less successful (‘fitting’), and reaching a boundary fit can be more or less
difficult, depending on the degree of permeability of the boundaries. In all cases, a
boundary fit is work in progress as it requires constant intercultural interactions.
Boundaries, therefore, are meant to be crossed. Boundary crossings form the

essence of intercultural interactions eventhough they may not be easy because
“boundaries abound. So do the ambiguities traversing them” (Connolly, 1995, p.
198). Cultural boundaries are not obstacles but permeable creations that allow us to
understand and situate ourselves in relation to others. Intercultural interactions can
be conceptualized by using the membrane metaphor as “spaces in which the other is
close yet discrete, separated with permeable boundaries, like a membrane” (Martin,
2000, p. 86). This view captures the essence of intercultural interactions very well
because “boundaries—like membranes—modify communication without shutting it
down” (Cabranes-Grant, 2011).
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Amish
Amish, member of a Christian group in North America, primarily the Old Order
Amish Mennonite Church.
History and church structure

Jakob Ammann (c. 1644–c. 1730) was a Mennonite leader whose controversial
teachings caused a schism among his coreligionists in Switzerland, Alsace, and
southern Germany.
The Amish began emigrating to North America early in the 18th century; they first settled in
eastern Pennsylvania, where a large settlement remains. Schism (a split or division between
strongly opposed sections or parties, caused by differences in opinion or belief)
and disruption occurred after 1850 because of tensions between the “new order” Amish, who
accepted social change and technological innovation, and the “old order,” or traditional,
Amish, who largely did not. During the next 50 years, about two-thirds of the Amish formed
separate, small churches of their own or joined either the Mennonite Church or the General
Conference Mennonite Church.
Beliefs and way of life

Humility, family, community, and separation from the world are the mainstays
of the Amish.

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Boundary Fit in Intercultural Communication

Sometimes, peoples attitude to boundary lines is so negative that we hear

We are much better off thinking of intercultural communication in terms of

Another example of a good boundary fit is interaction of the Amish people

It is crucial to remember that even the hardest boundaries change because

Boundaries, therefore, are meant to be crossed. Boundary crossings form the

History and church structure

Beliefs and way of life

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