En för alla – men bara för en? Kommunikatörers föreställningar om mångkulturell kommunikationskompetens

Sammanfattning: This study examines and problematizes the perceptions of multicultural communication competence amongst communicators. The concept derives from the multicultural society, but there is a lack of discussion of what the term means. Based on the concept of culture I have through interviews examined how communicators in Malmö stad construct multicultural communication competence. Through a critical discourse analysis the study has showed how beliefs about communication competences creates exclusionary mechanisms for access to the communication field. This results in a homogeneous profession in a heterogeneous society. The communicators get the power to produce and reproduce discourses that legitimize worldviews and social practices. Multicultural communication competence is constructed as personal qualities in relation to the communicator. In relation to the employees it is constructed as a different cultural background or language skills. The perceptions of culture influence the communication with the different target groups, where the communicators’ focus is to include everyone. Lack of awareness of construction and cultural beliefs may instead lead to exclusion.