Cross-Cultural Communication

Catalog description

In this course, we will explore the dynamics of intercultural communication and examine cases when different cultural norms lead to “miscommunication” in everyday life. Our goal during this semester is to critically examine “miscommunication” from a linguistic anthropological/sociolinguistic perspective. What notions of “culture” and “communication” are assumed, and are these assumptions problematic? How do we identify cases of miscommunication, especially if both parties do not feel that “miscommunication” has occurred? To what extent does intercultural miscommunication lead to larger social conflicts? The topics that we will examine include greetings, service encounters, doctor‐patient interactions, job interviews, communication between men and women, interactions in corporate settings, and research interviews. This course will help students develop better critical thinking skills and an analytic eye on miscommunication that will be useful both inside and outside the classroom. Offered every two years.