Far from being a context in which communication occurs, culture is the very basis of communication.
Communication as Culture explains that whether people talk with family members or someone from another country, they are never anything more or less than enculturated people who abide by the limits of their language, values and ideals. People talk about certain things and view others in certain ways. Everything a person does and says reinforces or shows opposition to culture.
This means that, rather than being the source, the self is the product and manifestation of all things cultural. The purpose of this textbook, then, is to offer an alternative approach to the study of human communication.