This book analyses the evolution of theory of intercultural competence and its relationship to education for citizenship. It analyses the concepts of intercultural competence by discussing the ways in which language education policy develops and by comparing the theories and purposes of foreign language education and education for citizenship.

Michael Byram is Professor Emeritus at Durham University, England. Having studied languages at Cambridge University, he taught French and German in school and adult education and then did teacher education at Durham. He was adviser to the Language Policy Division of the Council of Europe and then on the expert group which produced the Reference Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture. His research has included the education of minorities, foreign language teaching and intercultural competence, and more recently on how the PhD is experienced and assessed in a range of different countries.