Cultural Conflicts And Adaptation In Intercultural Marriages

With the rapid development of globalization, intercultural marriages become increasingly popular. Cultural globalization gives more opportunities to intercultural marriage partners. Cultural differences cause many cultural conflicts. Those special conflicts can not be found in intra-culture marriages. How do intercultural spouses develop their relationship, maintain their marriage and obtain their happiness? Acculturation is an important factor in their endeavor. Successful acculturation brings about happy and perfect intercultural marriages. Failed acculturation results in unhappiness and tragedy. Intercultural marriages are a practical arena of acculturation. Furthermore, the research on acculturation is important in the area of intercultural communication. Doing researches on acculturation can enrich and develop the study of intercultural communication. Moreover, married life cannot live without communication. Likewise, intercultural marriages also cannot live without intercultural communication. Therefore, intercultural marriages, acculturation and intercultural communication correlate with each other closely.Previous scholars have made their special contributions to both studies of intercultural marriages and acculturation. In the field of intercultural marriage, Dodd (2006) uses"Romeo and Juliet effect"to explain reasons for having intercultural marriages. She analyzes intercultural marriages in detail and introduces several influential factors which cause conflicts in intercultural marriages. Moreover, Gudykunst and Kim (1997) study reasons for having intercultural marriages and propose some strategies to intercultural spouses for having successful adaptation. In the field of acculturation, Berry (1990) studies acculturation from the perspective of psychology to enrich acculturation theories. Adler (1975) proposes a five-stage model of acculturation. He does theoretical study on acculturation from the perspective of a stage model. Besides, previous scholars create U-curve and W-curve to describe dynamic and changing patterns of acculturation theory.There are various cases of intercultural marriages between Chinese and westerners in Guo Ying's book, One Family, Two Systems. Cases in this book play an important role in doing this research. This thesis uses cultural dimensions, such as individualism-collectivism, facework and privacy to analyze intercultural marriage cases in One Family, Two Systems. This thesis analyzes cultural conflicts in intercultural marriages and studies the stages of acculturation in their married life. By examining the intercultural marriage process, the author proposes a three-stage model of intercultural marriages. Three stages in intercultural marriages are: romantic stage, stormy stage and changing stage. (1) When intercultural spouses meet and begin dating with each other, romantic phenomenon always spreads in this early period; (2) The stormy stage is a testing stage for intercultural spouses. Conflicts make intercultural marriages complicated and tortuous; (3) Intercultural spouses have peaceful and stable relationships in the changing stage. Struggles in intercultural marriages disappear in this stage. Two endings of intercultural marriages are shown: to be together or to break up. Furthermore, the author uses a"windy"curve to describe acculturation in intercultural marriages. The author of this thesis hopes that her three-stage model and"windy"curve could enrich and develop acculturation studies and could make a contribution to practical studies on intercultural communication.