Intercultural Communication INTRODUCTION TO THE MODULE CULTURAL AWARENESS Unit 1 / Week 1

Module Overview Unit 1 – Week 1: Cultural Awareness Unit 2 – Week 2: Cultural Identity – session 1 Unit 2 – Week 3: Cultural Identity – session 2 Unit 3 - Week 4: Cross cultural understanding – session 1 Unit 3 – Week 5: Cross cultural understanding – session 2 Unit 4 – Week 6: Intercultural communication – session 1 Week 7: Reading week Week 8: Tutorials Unit 4 – Week 9: Intercultural communication – session 2 Unit 4 – Week 10: Intercultural communication – session 3 Unit 5 – Week 11: Reflection – Intercultural competence Week 12: Presentations

Overview of Assessments Week 8 ESSAY (1,500 words) 40% Individual essay. Week 9 Reflective Journal 30% On-going assessment throughout the module. Students contribute to a blog over 6 weeks (6x5%=30%). Late submissions will be capped. Week 12 Group project Presentation 30% Based on a group project.

Outline of Assessments Essay: Reflective Journal: Group project presentation:

What is culture? “Culture or Civilization, taken in its widest ethnographic sense, is that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society” Tylor 1968 [1871]

What is culture? “Culture is defined as a system of shared values and beliefs which gives us a sense of belonging or identity. Culture can be discussed in terms of ways in which people pertaining to a group, society or organisation behave, communicate and think, and perceive reality. Each culture exhibits people’s perceptions of reality”. (Weaver, 2000)

Why is it important? Culture has certain characteristics – learned, transmitted through generations, symbolic and changeable over time. Culture is Ethnocentric; and has both visible and invisible attributes Cultural Perspectives: Emic vs etic Need to be culturally aware in order to be able to interpret someone’s behaviour relative to its cultural context.

Cultural Intelligence Accept that your own perceptions are coloured by your own culture Empathise with the views of others Actively try to understand other cultures and cultural complexity Be open-minded – don’t stereotype

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References Hofstede, Geert (1980) Culture’s Consequences: International Differences in Work-Related Values. Beverly Hills CA: Sage Publications. Hofstede, Geert (2001) Culture’s Consequences, (Second Edition): Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions and Organizations Across Nations. Thousand Oaks CA: Sage Publications. Tylor, Edward B [1871] The Science of Culture. In Morton Fried, ed., Readings in Anthropology, vol. II: Cultural Anthropology. New York: Crowell Weaver, G., R. (Ed.). (2000). Culture, communication and conflicts: Readings in intercultural relations (2nd ed.). Boston: Pearson publishing.