Problems of Intercultural Dialogue in Modern Society: Finding Solutions

Abstract

The article presents possible grounds for intercultural dialogue. Due to the polarization of international relations and political tensions, the issue of the fundamental possibility of grounds for intercultural dialogue in modern times is being considered. The concept of intercultural dialogue is understood in the article as an integrative process based on the acceptance of cultural differences. The author argues that the use of modern sociological approaches is not always applicable as a basis for building dialogical relations, since such approaches do not reflect the cultural characteristics of individual communities. Sociological researches are often politicized, and the methods of classifying different cultural communities used in them need to be rethought. Also, sociological approaches to the interaction of different cultural communities are focused on long-term ideological work, but the existing problems show that quick and constructive solutions are needed. According to the author, other grounds for interaction between cultures and communities are required, more general and applicable at the current stage on a global transnational scale. The author identifies two main starting points for intercultural dialogue: scientific and environmental cooperation and economic cooperation. Each of these paths has ample opportunities in the modern world for implementation in the field of the global economy or in the field of scientific cooperation and environmental protection. On the basis of transnational economic cooperation, it is possible to find an economic consensus between states which often represents different cultural systems. International scientific and environmental elaborations also serve as a basis for constructive interaction in front of common environmental problems orby qualitatively new scientific developments. The two paths presented are points for formal interaction, which can further be an entry point of an integrative cultural dialogue.