Fulbright scholars as cultural mediators: An exploratory study

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the cultural mediator role of a group of Fulbright Program international graduate students studying in the United States and the anticipated cultural mediator role expected upon reentry into the home culture. The study, based on a communication and culture-learning model, was designed to test the impact that the following variables had upon the cultural mediator role: host contact conditions; host culture social relations (intimacy, multicultural networks); intercultural communication competence (host knowledge, home knowledge, second language proficiency, intercultural communication skills, cultural relativism); cultural identity (ingroup strength, outgroup orientation); and background variables (previous cross-cultural exposure, previous contact with Americans, and preacademic training). The study was conducted using a sample of 290 Fulbright international graduate students who participated in a Fulbright Intercultural Survey (FIS) designed by the author and implemented in the fall of 1991. Additional personal telephone interviews probed the mediator role through questions which allowed the Fulbright students to discuss culture-learning experiences in which they enhanced their understanding of Americans and American culture or Americans enhanced their understanding of them and their culture. The data supported several but not all of the hypotheses. Intimacy and multicultural networks, in this case with host nationals, were found to be the two most significant variables related to the outcome of cultural mediation in the home and host culture. In addition, knowledge of the home and host culture were related positively to outcomes of mediation. Some data supported a relationship for mediation only in certain settings. For instance, preacademic training and previous contact with Americans were positively correlated to anticipated mediation in the home culture exclusively. The author concludes that the Fulbright international graduate students are enacting mediation outcomes as part of their academic sojourns and that these outcomes complement the stated goal of mutual understanding described in the original Fulbright program legislation. However, the study is not readily able to predict what longterm effect these mediation outcomes might have upon the Fulbright scholars who return to their cultures of origin.