When Conflicts Encounter Race: An Analysis Of The American Movie Crash

With the rapid development of media industry, intercultural communication happens on an unprecedented scale. The film as a familiar media for people, is becoming one of the most widespread means for cultural transmission. Under the multicultural condition, intercultural communication is quickly increasing among different groups. People of different races, even of different cultural backgrounds inevitably crash with each other. Hence, conflicts are inevitable as long as communication exists. America is the rendezvous of different races and different cultures, and therefore it has the most severe social problems like racial issues. All the conflicts among the colored and the white reveal the cultural "crash" of different cultural groups caused by different values and ethnocentrism. The film Crash, with its unique shooting method and storytelling, became the biggest winner of the 78th Oscar Prize, which at the same time makes American race issues become a focus again.In the thesis, a careful and painstaking analysis of conflict issues is carried out based on the film Crash, which deeply probes into the reasons of American social conflicts and the ways to work out. It illustrates theories of cultural relativism, ethnocentrism as well as racism in the section of literature review. In order to avoid ethnic conflicts, how to promote mutual understanding and co-existence has become an important aspect to solve American social problems. In intercultural communications, ethnocentrism may lead to people's intention to change the thought patterns and life styles of others. And conflicts in the film reveals that ethnocentrism is the main barrier in cultural communication. So this thesis attempts to eliminate cultural prejudice, and promote cultural relativism in communication and to increase cultural awareness.In global context, racial issues are becoming more and more extensive. American's.race problems give some hints for China's harmonious development. The thesis in the end, proposes to increase cultural awareness, and recommend cultural relativism to finally achieve effective and successful intercultural communication.