BARRIERS TO INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION AND THE ROLE OF POLYMEDIA: A STUDY OF RURAL STUDENTS IN PAKISTAN

Abstract

This study highlights why students from rural areas of Pakistan are migrating to Islamabad for the purpose of higher education to study in the universities of Islamabad and how they face cultural shock, the four phases from happiness to sadness and then to adjustment, after the migration to an area with new culture as is said by (Winkelman, 1994). This study looks into the fact that how their educational performance is affected by this cultural shock_ low grades, low confidence in the settings of their varsities, because of stress, anxiety and depression and how polymedia_ the use of WhatsApp calls, direct calls, Messenger, Instagram and in some rare cases other social media apps like IMO, BOTIM are assisting them in maintaining their relations with their families and friends. 15 participants of which 5 were females were interviewed in a qualitative manner with open ended questions and with the application of purposive sampling technique in mind of the researcher. 7 participants belonged to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 4 were from Punjab, 2 hailed from Azad Kashmir, 1 participant was from Sindh, and 1 participant was resident of Balochistan province. All of them belonged to the rural areas of these provinces. The application of the concept of Polymedia thus by these students from rural areas in one way or the other reduced their anxiety, stress and enabled them ultimately in relieving their educational difficulties_ low grades, english language proficiency and its use in their studies, performance in exams and other different class tasks, the use of technology like computers and the use of MS word pertinent to their studies, and the it also helped them in their university settings with other social issues like confidence which also in one way or the other boosted their educational performances like presentations etc. Key Words: Poly Media, Intercultural Barriers, Intercultural Communication, Migration, Rural Area, Urban Area, Educational Performance