HONORS CLASS EXPLORING INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION Instructor: Mary Black Office: Faner 3321 Email: marycblack@siu.edu Office hours: TBA Course description: Students, or indeed anyone, with limited intercultural experience will perceive the world according to the rules, assumptions, and values in which they have been inculcated, that is, according to their culture. The goal of this class is to use readings, videos, cross cultural exchanges, and reflection to get students to become aware their own cultural perspective, gain an objective distance from it, detect cultural biases and/or assumptions, and be able to appreciate other cultural perspectives. The course is based on: 1) readings on cross cultural theory; 2) literature with an outsider or cross cultural perspective; 3) analyses of articles, films, and book excerpts to detect cultural bias; 4) pairings with international (CESL) students from a variety of cultural backgrounds; and 5) reflection inspired by the readings, videos, theories, and cultural exchanges. Student Learning Objectives: To become aware one s own cultural perspective and to gain an objective distance from it To become sensitive to cultural biases and/or assumptions in written and audiovisual media To gain in depth exposure to another culture and to learn how to appreciate other cultural perspectives Description of how this course provides a unique educational experience, appropriate for honors students at SIUC: SIU is such a diverse university, making it a reflection of our society. In this world, cross cultural understanding is essential for any responsible student, or citizen. This course presents crosscultural theory and uses it as a basis to examine students own culture(s). A critical part of the course is then taking this theory and applying it to critically analyzing and understanding a
variety of media which contain cultural representations. Finally, the Honors students will be paired with international students (at CESL Center for English as a Second Language) from a variety of countries who will serve as their informants so students gain deeper insight into another culture, and into our culture as seen from outsider eyes. Thus, through theory, analysis, readings, films, and interaction, students will gain perspective on their own culture and learn how to appreciate and understand other cultures better, making them better global citizens and advocates for global understanding. Required Texts: There are no required texts for all students. Students will be given readings during the course and will have to choose book for their final project from a list given by the instructor. Assignments and Grading: In class participation: 10% Cultural exchange/out of class participation: 15% Presentations: 25% Journals: 20% Papers: 30% Details of assignments: In class participation (10%): Students are expected to participate actively and thoughtfully in both small group and whole group discussions. Cultural exchange/out of class participation (15%): Students may optionally get a conversation partner during the first half of the course, but as an integral part of this class they will be assigned cross cultural partners from SIU s Center for English as a Second Language (CESL) during the last 8 weeks of the term. These partners will serve as students in depth cultural informants as they explore their partners home culture and their experience here. Students will also be given credit for participation in activities with international RSO s and International Week (February). Presentations (25%): Students will be assigned 3 presentations on topics related to classwork and their cross cultural exchange partners. Students will be given detailed explanations of the expectations of each presentation, but briefly they will be:
Presentation 1: Map of stereotypes. Based on the models examined, students must draw a map of the world (without looking at a real map!) and label the countries or regions with their stereotypes/preconceptions, or with stereotypes/preconceptions that they have heard. They must then present their maps to the class and explain the stereotypes of those countries or regions and where they think they got them (experience, hearsay, media, etc.). This presentation will be worth 50 points and will be graded on the quality and detail of the map (50%) and the quality of the explanation (50%). Presentation 2: Cross cultural partner stereotype presentations. Students must work with their cross cultural partners to learn about their stereotypes of the U.S. before coming here and whether or not they find them true. Students should also report on their partners stereotypes about other countries or regions of the world. This presentation will be worth 30 points and will be graded holistically on the depth of content presented. Presentation 3: Cross cultural partner culture presentations. Students must work with their cross cultural partners and use the investigative topics, questions, and dilemmas developed in class to learn about the cultural dimensions of their partner s culture and present them to the class. Ideally, the presentation will be done in conjunction with their cross cultural partner. This presentation will be worth 100 points and will be graded based on the content of the information (50%), the organization of the information (25%), and the quality of the visuals to support the information (25%). Extra points will be given to students whose partners present with them. Journals (20%): Students will be assigned four journals throughout the semester. They will be given a prompt and must respond to that prompt in 2 3 pages of reflection. Journals are different from papers in that: 1) they are based primarily on personal experience and reflection and can be written in a somewhat informal style, and 2) no citations are expected. Each journal will be worth 20 points, and this grade will be assigned holistically based on the depth and quality of the reflection and the clarity in the organization and expression of the ideas. Papers (30%): A paper is a formal piece of writing which should be 5 10 pages long. Three papers will be assigned throughout the course. Papers are based on readings, films, lectures, interviews, surveys, etc., and should contain citations (APA style). Papers will generally be graded on content (60%), organization (20%) and sources used (20%). Paper 1 (10% of final grade): Students will be given a list of films (Babel, El Norte, The Mission, Crash, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Million Dollar Arm, The Namesake) and watch two of them. After a brief synopsis, they must analyze the cultural assumptions/dimensions and stereotypes they contain. Paper 2 (10% of final grade): Students will be given a series of articles and excerpts from non fiction books and will have to apply their knowledge of cross cultural theory and
the dimensions of culture to analyze how the dimensions are embodied in these readings. Paper 3 (10% of final grade): Students will be given a choice of novels (Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie; The Kitchen God s Wife by Amy Tan; Brick Lane by Monica Ali; or And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini), and after a brief synopsis they must write an analysis of it based on the cultures depicted, the stereotypes contained, the cultural dimensions embodied, and any lessons learned. Course Schedule: WEEK 1 Jan. 19 23 WEEK 2 Jan. 26 30 WEEK 3 Feb. 2 6 WEEK 4 Feb. 9 13 WEEK 5 Feb. 16 20 WEEK 6 Feb. 23 27 WEEK 7 Mar. 2 6 Unit 1. What is culture? Defining our terms Mainstream vs. subcultures Factors shaping cultures Journal assignment 1: Given different definitions of culture, both those generated in class and those found in published sources, choose which definition you believe best describes what culture is and justify your choice. (Due Jan. 30) : Real vs. imagined knowledge of the physical and cultural world (Or: Exploring our ignorance) What are stereotypes? Examples of stereotypes Where do stereotypes come from? What stereotypes do we hold? Reading assignment: A Girl s Guide to Saudi Arabia (Due Feb. 2) Discussion of stereotypes in A Girl s Guide to Saudi Arabia and consequences Examination and analysis of maps of stereotypes Presentation assignment 1: Map of Stereotypes (Due Feb. 17 and 19) Mapping our own stereotypes Guest lecture: The media s role in stereotypes (to be confirmed) Map of stereotypes presentations Journal assignment 2: Reflect on your own map of stereotypes, where you think you got them, and what they are based on (fact, fear, media, hearsay, etc.). Then compare your map with a world map and reflect on your knowledge of geography what you know, what you don t know, what surprised you. (Due Feb. 23) Paper assignment 1: Film analysis (Due March 6) Brainstorm and analyze cultural differences Trompenaars s and Hampden Turner s model of cultural dimensions Discuss and analyze cultural dimensions through proverbs, case studies, etc. Journal assignment 3: Choose five dimensions and describe where on the continua your culture, your subculture, you personally, and people from other cultures with whom you are in contact fall along those continua. (Due March 16)
WEEK 8 Mar. 16 20 WEEK 9 Mar. 23 27 WEEK 10 Mar. 30 Apr. 3 WEEK 11 Apr. 6 10 WEEK 12 Apr. 13 17 WEEK 13 Apr. 20 24 WEEK 14 Apr. 27 May 1 WEEK 15 May 4 8 WEEK 16 May 11 15 Paper assignment 2: Non fiction reading analysis (Due April 3) Reading assignment: Excerpts from The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down by Anne Fadiman; The Geography of Thought by Richard E. Nisbett; American Ways by Gary Althen; A Geography of Time by Robert Levine. (Due March 16) Discuss and analyze cultural dimensions through selected readings Reading assignment: Students will choose one of the four novels to read for Paper 4. Discuss and analyze cultural dimensions through selected readings Meet cross cultural partners Presentation assignment 2: Cross cultural partner stereotype presentations (Due April 7 and 9) Brainstorm conversation topics, questions, dilemmas (What would you do if?) that can discern the stereotypes and dimensions of another culture to be used with cross cultural partners. Presentation assignment 3: Cross cultural partner culture presentations (Due April 14, 16, 21 and 23) Cross cultural partner stereotype presentations Paper assignment 3: Novel analysis (Due May 4) Cross cultural partner culture presentations Journal assignment 4: Write a reflection on what you learned about your partner s culture, what surprised you the most, what you gained more broadly from this assignment. (Due April 30) Cross cultural partner culture presentations Unit 5. Critically examining cultural bias and cross cultural experience in literature and audiovisuals Discussion circles: novels Unit 5. Critically examining cultural bias and cross cultural experience in literature and audiovisuals Discussion circles: novels FINAL EXAMS.DETAILED HONORS SYLLABUS revised