COMM 3410-004:
Intercultural Communication
Spring 2011
CLRE (Clare Small) 301,
MWF 2:00-2:50pm
http://spot.colorado.edu/~carpentt/
Instructor:
Timothy L. Carpenter Email:
timothy.carpenter@colorado.edu
Office Location: Hellems 14
Office Hours: 12:00-1:00, MW and
by appointment
Required Texts:
Martin,
Judith N. and Thomas K. Nakayama. Intercultural
Communication in Contexts, 5th ed.
Supplemental
readings posted on CU Learn (accessible with your Identikey login information
via either http://culearn.colorado.edu
or http://cuconnect.colorado.edu)
Course Description:
This course offers an overview of
key topics in the field of intercultural communication. We study why such a course is timely in
today’s world, how/why intercultural communication has evolved as a field of
study, some basic approaches to intercultural communication research and
scholarly writings, how power, context and history set the stage for
communication between members of various cultural groups, and how individuals
develop multiple cultural and social identities, which, along with their use of
language and particular nonverbal patterns, significantly impact such
communication attempts. The course also
addresses applications of intercultural communication as individuals enter
cultures outside their own and as mass media are used to convey core values and
practices from one cultural group to another.
The nature of intercultural conflict is explored, including the
management of such conflict. This course
ultimately seeks to increase intercultural competence in an increasingly
multicultural world.
Course Objectives:
1. Expose students to the cutting
edge of intercultural communication theory (with emphasis on the importance of
context and power) through text, lectures, and supplementary material.
2. Provide illustrations of
conceptual material through videos, guest speakers, and in-class activities as
well as outside-of-class activities.
3. Provide opportunities for application
of conceptual material through course assignments.
4. Promote awareness of how one’s
own cultural identity influences attempts to communicate
interculturally.
Course Components:
Exams—There will be two exams, each worth 150 points. Exams will cover
readings and lecture material and will contain a mixed format of questions. The
final exam will not be cumulative.
Cultural Identity Paper—This assignment provides an opportunity for you to
reflect on and apply the concepts discussed in class to a particular issue or
question regarding intercultural communication in your life. You will be asked
to reflect on one of your cultural identities and the experiences you have had
with intercultural communication, demonstrating critical reflection on the issue
and invoking relevant readings from class to support your observations. This
assignment should function like an academic journal entry, providing the
instructor with a sense of your individual identity and how it influences (or
is influenced by) intercultural communication. You will write this
assignment twice, once at the beginning of the course and once at the end of
the course. The hope is that your awareness of your cultural
identity/ies will shift, change, and evolve throughout the course discussions
and readings. You will be asked to submit the original identity paper with the
revised identity paper. Each is worth 50 points for a total of 100 points.
Cultural Event Reflection—Each student will be responsible for
attending two campus cultural events or functions (e.g., lectures, movie
screenings, dialogues, activist events, cultural celebrations, etc.). The events should be cleared with the
instructor before attending to determine their appropriateness for intercultural
communication. Each student is required
to submit a 4-5 page summary and critique of each event. These papers will be
evaluated based on depth of the summary, depth of the reflection, and
thoughtful critique of each event. These papers are worth 50 points each.
Analytical and Reflective Essays—There will be three essays
assigned through the course of the semester with specific questions to
answer. Due dates will be announced as
the semester continues. Each essay will
require you to reflect upon and analyze some aspect of the course readings,
discussions, and other materials from class. Each essay should be 2-3 pages
long and will be worth 50 points each.
Individual Research Paper—Select an intercultural communication issue
to research. You should become an
“expert” on the issue and write a 10-12 page research paper on the topic. The paper will be worth 150 points.
Meetings with Instructor—Each student must meet with me outside of class at
least twice through the course of the semester. One of these meetings
must occur before the midterm and one must occur after. If you cannot make it to my office hours,
please contact me to set a meeting time.
Each meeting is worth 25 points.
Course Grading Structure:
Attendance
and participation 150
Exams
(2 @ 150 pts.) 300
Cultural
Identity Paper (2 @ 50) 100
Cultural
Event Reflection (2 @ 50) 100
Analytical
and Reflective Essays (3 @ 50) 150
Individual
research paper 150
Meetings
with instructor (2 @ 25) 50
Total points for course 1000
Expectations:
1. Please turn off your cell phones. This means they need to be either powered
down, on silent, or on vibrate. Your only other option is to leave the
things at home.
2. Attendance is MANDATORY. You
must attend class to receive full credit in this course.
3. Respect each other. Disagreement is
inevitable, but please remember to act with tact and civility.
Disrespectful remarks and behavior can and likely will have a detrimental
effect on your grade.
4. In order to participate fully in class
(either by active listening or participation), you MUST complete the
readings before class.
5. You are responsible for EVERYTHING said in
class, whether you attend class or not. If you miss class, it is your
responsibility to get the material from a classmate.
6. Please be punctual and remain seated until
the class is dismissed.
7. I will allow the use of laptops in class for
note taking and other related class activities, but I will prohibit them if you
abuse this privilege. Please engage in non-course-related electronic
activities on your own time rather than on mine.
Course Policies
Attendance: I will take attendance most (if not all) days throughout the
semester. You are responsible for
getting any information, lecture notes, and schedule changes missed during your
absence from a classmate. Attendance
and participation are mandatory, but I realize that we lead busy lives and
sometimes life happens. As such, I will allow you two (2) excused
absences. Excepting extraordinary circumstances, any additional absences
will count against your final grade.
Record-Keeping—I suggest that you keep all of your returned work
in a dedicated folder for this class.
This will help you keep track of your grad throughout the semester as
well as address any questions about your assignments should they arise. Please turn in your work at the designated
time and place. Do not send your written work in the form of e-mail attachments
unless I have approved this form of submission ahead of time. In case of any grade or assignment completion
discrepancy, the burden of proof will be yours.
Academic Integrity – You are to write your own papers, giving proper
credit to others whose ideas you incorporate into your writing. You are to do your own work on exams, which includes
keeping your answers covered while working.
Please remove caps or turn visors backwards during exams. Be mindful of any behavior which could be
interpreted as cheating on exams.
Due Dates – Written assignments are due in class on the due date. Papers turned in late will be subject to a
10% reduction in grade and will not be accepted beyond 24 hours after they are
due except in extenuating circumstances.
Please do not miss class on paper due dates just because your paper
isn’t ready—doing that only compounds the points lost.
Written Work—All written work submitted for a grade must be typed, double-spaced,
with 1” margins on all sides, and use a 12-point font size. Neither cover sheets nor plastic report
covers are required. Your writing should
be clear, concise, logically organized, and free from errors in spelling,
punctuation, and grammar. All
information presented in papers which is not your own original thought must be
documented with sources used. You should
use APA citation style for written work in this class.
Students with Disabilities: If you need special accommodations due to any specific
physical, psychiatric, or learning disabilities, please let me know
immediately. I will do as much as possible to appropriately meet your
needs. You will need to provide documentation of your disability to the
Disability Services Office in Willard 322 (303-492-8671 or http://www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices/).
Statement Regarding Religious Holidays that Conflict with
University Courses:
If you have religious obligations
that conflict in any way with classes or exams, please read the statement on
Academic Integrity at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html.
If a religious observance will prevent you from attending class at any time
during the semester, you MUST contact me about this within the first THREE
WEEKS OF CLASS. If you do not contact me by this time, your absence(s)
will not be excused.
Academic Integrity: Students
and staff, by virtue of their membership in the University community, are
expected to abide by the
University Standards of Conduct: Additionally,
students and staff have an obligation to uphold and enforce the behavioral
standards listed in the Rights and Responsibilities Regarding Standards of
Conduct in order to maintain a safe and productive educational
environment. The consequences of violating these standards can be found
at www.colorado.edu/policies/classbehavior.html.
It is your responsibility to review this policy and to abide by it.
Discrimination and Harassment: Harassment
or discrimination of any sort—whether sexual, racial, religious, or
otherwise—at the
Course Schedule
(Subject to change)
Week Dates Topics
1 Jan. 10-14 Orientation to the course
Introduction of students, instructor, and course
Part I: Foundations of Intercultural Communication
1/17 MLK Day – No Class
2 Jan. 19-21 Why study intercultural communication? M & N 1
3 Jan. 24-28 The history of the study of intercultural communication M & N 2
4 Jan. 31-Feb. 4 Culture, communication, context, and power M & N 3
5 Feb. 7-11 History and intercultural communication M & N 4
Feb. 7—Cultural Identity Paper #1 Due
Part II: Intercultural Communication Processes
6 Feb. 14-18 Identity and intercultural communication M & N 5
7 Feb. 21-25 Movie: Higher Learning
8 Feb. 28-Mar. 4 Language in intercultural communication M & N 6
Feb. 28—Response Paper #1 Due
9 Mar. 7-11 Nonverbal codes and cultural space M & N 7
10 Mar. 14-16 Nonverbal codes and cultural space cont’d
Mar. 16 Midterm
Mar. 18 Nonverbal codes cont’d
11 Mar. 21-25 Spring Break – No Class
Part III: Intercultural Communication
Applications
12 Mar. 28-Apr 1 Understanding intercultural transitions M & N 8
13 Apr. 4-8 Popular culture and intercultural communication M & N 9
14 Apr. 11-15 Culture, communication, and intercultural relationships M & N 10
15 Apr. 18-22 Intercultural conflict M & N 11
16 Apr. 25-29 Engaged and effective intercultural communication M & N 12
Apr. 29—Research Paper Due
May 4th Final Exam: Wednesday, 1:30pm-4:00pm
Last updated March 14, 2011