Bridging Cultural Differences: Introduction to Intercultural Communication

3.00 credits · Undergraduate

This course adopts an approach grounded in cultural studies to introduce students to key theories, concepts, and issues in intercultural communication, which is defined as the transmission and reception of verbal and non-verbal messages across languages and cultures. It sheds light on how cultural differences and variables impact communication, reveals the common barriers to intercultural exchange, and reflects on identity and otherness, cultural filters and templates, and the relationship between culture, media, and language. Examples are drawn from textual, visual, and material cultures of the past, as well as contemporary mass media contexts. By playing the role of cultural mediators, students will learn how to deconstruct cultural templates and frames of reference, analyze past and present intercultural encounters and conflict, and interpret standards and values as embedded in various contexts of expression (pictures, advertisements, texts, films, etc.) (Format: Lecture/Tutorial 3 hours) (Exclusion: VMCS 2991 Intercultural Communication)