Miscommunication: Lost in Translation

Catalog description

This course investigates the role of communication and miscommunication in politics and society. Communication is a defining trait of human identity and a critical building block in the construction of civilization. Communication ¿ across the broad categories of spoken, visual, and written ¿ is essential to the functioning of any viable community, spanning the spectrum of day-to-day interaction from religious doctrine to economic policy. Globalization and the increasingly immediate nature of networking online have made communication, in particular establishing the basis for mutually intelligible interchange, more important than ever. But these same forces have made the possibility of miscommunication both more likely and potentially much more dangerous. Using exemplars from history, this course will explore how miscommunication has shaped international relations, domestic politics, and cross- cultural boundaries.