Intercultural communication

Teacher(s)

De Baets Greet;

Language

English

Prerequisites

The prerequisite(s) for this Teaching Unit (Unité d’enseignement – UE) for the programmes/courses that offer this Teaching Unit are specified at the end of this sheet.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

1) To become familiar with the various constitutive elements that underpin a nation-specific culture 2) To reflect critically on the role that culture plays in shaping behaviors, norms and values 3) To understand the implications of cultural relativism and multiculturalism in a given society 4) To appreciate how cultural dimensions impact on the prevailing communication style

Content

The course comprises an introduction to terminology, an introduction to ethnographic reporting (for an assignment), a dualistic structure of theoretical frameworks (constructing and deconstructing cultures), and understanding intercultural competence.
The course familiarises students with various dimensions and broad concepts of culture studied in different academic disciplines: fundamental elements, critical perspectives, and implications for society and communication. It requires an introduction to theoretical frameworks and an invitation to critical engagement. It will help participants more fully appreciate how challenging it can be to deal with sensitive issues such as identity and stereotyping. The frameworks to construct cultures rely on culture-specific theories to classify and understand differences in terms of cultural dimensions, norms, and values (E. T. Hall, 1976; Hofstede & Hofstede, 2005; Lewis, 2018; Trompenaars & Hampden-Turner, 2012). The frameworks to deconstruct cultures rely on the concepts of othering, stereotyping, allochronism, orientalism, and decolonisation (Blommaert, 1998; Fabian, 1983/2014; S. Hall, 1992/2018; Piller, 2017; Said, 1979/2003).

Teaching methods

This primarily theoretical course actively engages students and relies on a reflective assignment informed by the ethnographic research tradition. The teaching method aims to facilitate participation, interaction, discussion with case studies, small group work with a variety of materials, mind-mapping, and conventional lecture delivery. Students are expected to read a chapter a week.
Attendance and active participation is highly recommended on account of the linear, step by step approach that the course relies upon and which is meant to help students complete their major assignment. Students who are unable to attend should find out what has been covered in class.

Evaluation methods

Two major assignments will determine the final grade: a 10 to 12 page (3,000 words minimum) report (50%) and a final written exam (50%) which will cover the material studied throughout the semester.
In the event of unjustified failure to submit the written assignment on time, the student will receive a zero marks for the assignment at the first session.
The second session also comprises the report and the written exam.
All assignments are a personal production. Students are expected to scrupulously respect the rules and the good practices when it comes to citation, referencing, and avoiding (self-)plagiarism. Students are expected to know and understand as to what these rules and practices comprise. Any failure to apply them may lead to an academic and/or disciplinary sanction for plagiarism and/or irregularity, in accordance with the general regulations for studies and examinations.“Reusing” a personal or group assignment carried out within the framework of any other teaching unit requires a great deal of caution. Exceptionally, such an approach may be considered, provided that the student requests explicit permission from the professor or the assistant; justifies this “reuse” in the assignment, which, as a whole, must obviously constitute an original contribution to the first work; and scrupulously applies the rules of citation and referencing to any use of this assignment. Failure to comply with these rules may be considered self-plagiarism and as such constitutes an irregularity. The use of generative AI is accepted as long as it is occasional and limited. The use of AI must be explicitly indicated and referenced. Any part of the work relying, in any way, on generative AI must be clearly identified (for example, by a footnote), specifying which generative AI tool was used, for what purpose, in what way, and to what extent. Failure to do so may constitute an irregularity.

Other information

Hand-outs will be available online. Students are expected to take copious notes during the lectures.

Bibliography

Livre recommandé: Piller, I. (2017). Intercultural Communication: A Critical Introduction (2nd ed.). Edinburgh University Press

Faculty or entity

> ESPB