Intercultural Communication Lecture - 2015 Fall Semester
Intercultural Communication Lecture - 2015 Fall Semester
Course outline
After reviewing or getting familiar with the key concepts of the spring semester, students will develop their cultural awareness by considering the different roles they play in society. This accumulated knowledge and experience should help students improve their intercultural communication skills.
Schedule
W1
- Ethnocentrism: with tattoo scandal in Osaka; how to avoid ethnocentrism
- Discrimination: Hitler - Rwanda genocide (Hotel Rwanda) - modern day pictures as a composition, not reality with TED talk by Cameron Russell, “Looks aren’t everything. Believe me, I’m a model.”
W2
- Egocentrism: duck activity; importance of individual experience; “all different, all just right” Kaneko Misuzu.
- Definition of egocentrism – Etymology of ethno- & ego-centrism.
- Our biased senses: the Muller-Lyer lines + blind spot + filling-in (sight) + inventing (movement) + filling-in (hearing)
W3
- Introduction: the face-goblet drawing + ducks:
- Importance of perspectives: what if everybody was the same? The Stepford Wives.
- A different perspective can change the life of millions of people: N. Mandela, Invictus.
W4
- Trying to understand someone’s perspective leads you to experience empathy. Sesame Street, Mark Ruffalo: Empathy. Alexander Mccall Smith quote from Morality of Beautiful Girls, page 77.
- Discussion & explanation about empathy vs. sympathy
- 6 keys to successful communication – understanding (1) and respecting (2) differences – common ground (3) – smiling (4) – speaking (5) – listening (6).
- Common ground: Dancing in Jaffa (trailer)
W5
- Smiling: Smile and the World Smiles with You, Claire Lemmel,
- Speaking: say thank you; 365 Grateful, Hailey Bartholomew; power of words + Street Compliments: http://www.karmatube.org/videos.php?id=3718
W6
- Listening: how we can hear/listen to people
- Why we can’t listen to people: modern communication - Einstein quote + texting + Sherry Turkle’s TED Talk Alone together?
- Julian Treasure’s conclusion in 5 Ways to Listen Better
W7
- 6 keys to successful communication require that you truly know who you are!
- Mind map “Who are you?”
- Finding meaning in our mortality: Steve Jobs’ quote: “If today was the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?; Tuesday with Morrie
W8
- Who are you? = what you need?; Maslow pyramid of needs: what it is; what’s in mine; what’s in yours?
- Downsizing to what’s important: Graham Hill, Less Stuff, More Happiness (TED Talk).
- How can you make yourself even happier? Michael Norton, How to Buy Happiness (TED Talk).
W9
- The Family Me
- Saving Face – matching people = omiai (お見合い), saving face = menboku (面目)
- Mind-map: what are the topics that create tensions between your family and yourself?
- Procedure of Omiai - changes in marriage tradition
- About choosing to marry someone your family doesn’t approve: scene from Romeo & Juliet.
W10
- The Social Me:
- Social Me = you as a friend, a student, a co-worker
- Power of collectivism and individualism combined to be able to live in harmony with our community and be free to be ourselves.
- Stand by Me, Playing for Change for positive aspect of collectivism & Tanpopo to show the burden imposed by society.
W11
- The National Me
- National Me = main source of ethnocentrism; using the word “foreigner”
- Generalizations: what & how
- Difficult to think about your own culture = the ruler trying to measure itself, it needs another ruler
- Beauty in Japan: Handsome Suit, cool beauty
W12
- The National Me: Handsome Suit = what does beautiful (for a woman) and handsome (for a man) mean to you?
- Discussion: what’s the difference between “beautiful” and “cute”?
- Yaeba case study
- Ikemen vs salaryman
W13
- The National Me: importance of appearances: Handsome Suit You are Beautiful by Christina Aguiliera.
- Alcohol in Japan and France: different drinking culture; why people drink to the point of getting drunk in Japan: students’ voice; Western perspective: video on being drunk and social
- Image of alcohol in France (no advertising) vs. ads in Japan
W14
- The National Me: responsibility towards others (3/11) vs. international press surprised at the volunteer program in Tohoku (BBC News)
- The Human Me: definition of “human”?; The Impossible
W15
Students’ presentation OR Handsome Suit viewing