Incorporating Topics of Culture and New Media Technologies into Introduction to Communication Course Judith N. Martin, 2011

OVERVIEW  Intercultural Communication (rationale, concepts, how to improve)  New Media Use (rationale, concepts, how to improve)

WHY STUDY CULTURE and COMMUNICATION?  Increased opportunities for intercultural contact  Enhanced business effectiveness  Improved intergroup relations  Enhanced self-awareness

Culture  Patterns of perception, values, behaviors shared by a group of people. (e.g. national, ethnic, racial, gender, age, etc etc)  Heterogeneous  Contested Intercultural communication exists on a continuum

Traditional Topics Cultural Differences in  Values  Language  Non verbal  Relationship  Conflict

CAUTION: GENERALIZATIONS IN USE!!  Not every group member holds this value  Do not leap from cultural level to individual level  Get to know the individual

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION ON THE BORDERS  Living a life “ between cultures ”  Negotiating contradictory cultural patterns  Three types of “ border dwellers ”

3 TYPES OF BORDER DWELLERS Border dwellers through  Travel  Socialization  Relationships

CHALLENGES OF LIVING “ ON THE BORDER ”  Constantly negotiating cultural norms  Two types of responses “Encapsulated” marginality – feeling trapped, overwhelmed, loss of authenticity “Constructive” marginality – feeling challenged and yet thrive, see self as choice-maker

A DIALECTIC APPROACH  REJECTS DICHOTOMOUS THINKING  EMPHASIZES PROCESSES  HOLD TWO OR MORE CONTRADICTORY IDEAS AT THE SAME TIME (both/and)

6 INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION DIALECTICS 1) Culture-Individual 2) Personal-Contextual 3) Differences-Similarities 4) Static-Dynamic 5) History/Past-Present/Future 6) Privilege-Disadvantage

INDIVIDUAL, INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION AND SOCIETY  Social, Political and Historical Forces  Intercultural Communication and Power

Improving your Intercultural Communication Skills  Increase your motivation  Increase your knowledge of self and others  Resist Stereotyping

WHY STUDY NEW MEDIA?  New media are pervasive  Rideout et al 2010  Connectivity, information, entertainment, financial  Can help ensure personal and professional success

WHAT ARE NEW MEDIA?  A collection of mediated communication technologies that are  Digital  Converging  Tend to be interactive

Traditional Approaches  Dystopian vs Utopian  Media Deficit vs Media Augmentation

Contemporary Approach  Dialectic Approach

Current Notions  Differences between mediated and face to face (ftf) communication Nonverbal cues filtered out Asynchronous  Social Presence Theory  Media Richness Theory

Contemporary Approach: Topics  Identity and New Media use Anonymity (spoofing, phishing, cyberbullying AND freedom of expression) Impression management (control AND deception potential)

Contemporary Approach: Topics  Managing online relationships Friendships Romantic relationships Work relationships

Societal Forces and New Media Use  New media use does not occur in a vacuum but influenced by societal forces (structures and contexts)  Issue of access and implications

Digital Divide - Global  Who has access? Africa – 11% Asia – 24% Middle East – 32% Latin & South America – 36% Europe 58% U. S. – 75%

Digital Divide -U. S.  “Old digital divide”: gender, ethnicity (new configuration)  New digital divide: income, education, rural-urban, ability- disability

Digital Divide -U. S.  What keeps people offline? 20% - “truly disconnected” Lack of desire, technocapital or access to technology skills & resources due to finances, parental attitudes, institutional structures

Closing the Digital Divide  Diffusion of Innovation Giving access & showing utility  Building Technocapital Mental access Material access Skill access Usage Access

Improving your New Media Use Skills  Improving your new media etiquette Mobile phone Twitter

Improving your New Media Use Skills  Incorporate new media use into job-hunting Network Post resume Start a blog Learn about potential employers Follow up