Intercultural Communication: from theory to practice This course is intended as an introduction to Intercultural Communication Theory and its application

to a wide range of multicultural situations. It encourages students to reflect on the way in which our cultures and identities affect how we communicate with people of different origins or social categories, in different social contexts. Through simulations, role-plays, case studies and analyses of concrete encounters, this module presents different aspects of intercultural and interpersonal communication. It addresses such politically incorrect questions as: Why are stereotypes beneficial to communication? and Why do we find foreigners attractive / repulsive?. The course leads up to a final simulation / assignment. Armed with the basics of applied intercultural communication theory, in teams, students put their cultural awareness skills and intercultural communication competence to the test, to solve a culture-based problem in a multinational context. A course for all those interested in cultural diversity and how to deal with it.
A. Culture & Communication 1. The Island Simulation game as introduction to intercultural communication. First approach to culture & how it affects communication. 2. Communication Models Introduction to course. Intercultural, transcultural & cross-cultural communication studies. Communication models and how they can help us to understand communication between foreigners: Flow model, Orchestra model, Anxiety & Uncertainty Management Theory (William Gudykunst), Communication Accommodation Theory (Howard Giles). Application to analysis of film extract: Lost in Translation. 3. Culture and Communication What is culture (Iceberg & Onion models)? 3-up game. Primary socialisation & culturally determined communication styles: knowledge, codes, rituals, social frames. Sources of misunderstanding between (national) cultures. 4. Cultural Differences I Geert Hofstedes dimensions of cultural difference. 5 dimensions & examples. 5. Cultural Differences II Macro vs micro-level analyses. Document analysis: Hofstede i-Phone application. Incapacity of Hofstedes model to describe interpersonal communication. Different levels of culture & secondary socialisation. Pragmatics approach.

B. Representing the Other: Cultures & Identities 6. Identities in Communication Pragmatic turn. Intersubjectivity & predictability. George Herbert Mead & concept of Self. Erving Goffman, interaction rituals. Identity Theory (Sheldon Stryker, Peter Burke). Analysis of film extract: Next. Intercultural Communication From Theory to Practise Sciences Po Campus Europen 1

Alex Frame

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Identities, Culture and Social Groups Ethnicity (Fredrik Barth). Social Identity Theory. Structuring cultures (nationally, transnationally). Cultures and institutions. Relationships between social groups, culture & societal structure. Why is national culture a privileged level? Homework assignment for lesson 9. Representing foreigners Prototypes & stereotypes in communication. Cultionary game. Representations of foreigners (differentiation / individuation model) & impact on intersubjectivity. Analysis of film extract: Borat. Performing cultures in interactions Semiopragmatics of communication. Interpretation & production of symbolic acts. Three levels of meaning construction (prefiguration, configuration, performance). Links between macro-social and micro-social manifestations of culture. Evolution of cultures.

C. Cultures in Organisations: the pragmatics of intercultural relations in the workplace 10. Organisational cultures & Intercultural management History of the concept of organisational culture. Three perspectives on organisational culture (Joanne Martin). Cultures in organisations. Sciences Po culture. Hall, Hofstede, DIribarne. National differences in negotiation styles. Social Identity Theory applied to management of multicultural teams. 11. Written evaluation. 12. Theory and practise Intercultural communication simulation exercise & analysis.

Evaluation: Students will be marked on two written assignments (one to be completed in class). Their final mark will be adjusted according to the quality and quantity of their oral participation during the course (+/-2 points).

Core bibliography: William Gudykunst & Young Yun Kim, Communicating With Strangers: An Approach to Intercultural Communication, New York: McGraw Hill, 1992 (2nd ed.), 304pp. Geert Hofstede, Culture and Organisations: Software of the Mind, London: McGraw Hill, 2004 (2nd ed.), 300pp. Ron Scollon & Suzanne Wong Scollon, Intercultural Communication, Oxford: Blackwell, 2001, 336pp. Helen Spencer-Oatey (ed.), Culturally Speaking: Culture, Communication and Politeness Theory, London: Continuum, 2008 (2nd ed.), 372pp. Robert Wiseman (ed.), Intercultural Communication Theory, Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage, 1995, 337pp.

Intercultural Communication From Theory to Practise Sciences Po Campus Europen 2

Alex Frame