On Cross-Cultural Parenting, Media Use, and Intercultural Dialogue: A conversation with Sangita Shresthova.
For this interview, I had a very interesting conversation with Sangita Shresthova, Associate Research Professor of Communication at the University of Southern California and a member on the Advisory Board of the Center for Intercultural Dialogue, about some fascinating aspects of her new book, The Cross-Cultural Parenting Playbook. Sangita’s book can be considered as a “practical research-backed guide for parents raising children across multiple cultures in a media-filled world.” I think the synopsis that Sangita offers below provides a very good introduction to the book’s general focus:
Every day, more families span continents, cultures and languages to raise cross-cultural children. Yet even as media brings us closer than ever, travel restrictions and censorship remind us how fragile these connections can be. Offering real-life stories, strategies and activities, this book explores how diverse families use media, both old and new, to bridge cultures and support their parenting journey. We meet children who balance frequent moves with staying in touch with a distant homeland. We encounter parents navigating multiple languages under one roof. We hear from relatives determined to keep in touch despite the challenges involved. We learn that media remains a vital tool that helps all these cross-cultural families stay connected – through shared recipes that conjure memories, video calls that span time-zones, popular culture that reflects a family’s blended identity, and more. This is a book for anyone preparing for or living the realities of cross-cultural parenting.
Casey Man Kong Lum, Associate Director, CID
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Center for Intercultural Dialogue 