The Role of Listening in Intercultural Settings: The Empathetic Act of Listening Gives Voice to Marginalized People Groups

Abstract

The fast-paced nature of a world on the move creates a community that rarely listens to those they know well and never to those they don’t know or understand. This failure to listen is especially detrimental when the listeners should be missionaries, aid workers, counselors, and/or pastors who are reaching out to those migrating into their area. This article will outline the role of listening within such encounters, highlight listening’s role across cultural lines, warn of the potential downfalls of not listening, and make suggestions for improving one’s listening skills in intercultural settings.