International, Transnational, Global

International, transnational, and global are adjectives that are foundational to the discussion of intercultural competence. They describe the relationships and activity among world entities, encompassing both organizations and people. These three terms are often used interchangeably despite differences in meaning, because the meanings are so similar and the usage is not always clear. A clarification of these terms is important to the discussion of intercultural competence because the intercultural field is interdisciplinary and all fields may not use the same interpretation. Context is important; usage is also evolving to reflect the changing world that the terms are used to describe. This entry explains how the terms international, transnational, and global are used, with some guidelines for different contexts.