Literacy as an Access Method: How Terminologies as a Mechanism for Gatekeeping Influences Participation

In trying to adapt to the dynamic society in the twenty-first century, individuals may struggle to develop the competences that can help them to succeed and thrive in a changing environment. Dynamic changes in ICT as well as the way individuals interact with one another is a core challenge that lacks a universal answer. We argue the most important twenty-first century skills don’t lie in technical skills, but rather the ability for individuals to meaningfully interact with others across different cultural environments. Competently communicating in intercultural contexts requires literacy cultivated through intercultural knowledge and experience. Importantly, this contemporary communication occurs in the vehicle of numerous digital tools. Access to the intercultural studies and bodies of knowledge has never been easier since the proliferation of ICT. However, this access is not equitably distributed due to the digital divide and the role of knowledge gatekeeping. This chapter examines knowledge gatekeeping within the context of individuals seeking to access intercultural studies’ knowledge and the space where knowledge is generated. To do so, terminology during the recent Delphi study on transculturality was examined as a potential mechanism for gatekeeping. The language used during panel discussions within the Delphi study conference revealed an unexpectedly high degree of jargon which may serve as a barrier for those who are not already active in this academic and scientific space. Future discourse can benefit non-intercultural experts by shifting terminology and adapting the necessary literacy for knowledge comprehension and contribution.