COMM 436: INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Andrews University Jordan Field School Edition | Summer 2015
Instructor:
Kristen Witzel
E-mail:
witzel@andrews.edu;
Office Hours: By appointment
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK
Jandt, Fred E. An Introduction to Intercultural Communication: Identities in a Global
Community, 6th Edition.
ISBN-13 978-1412970105
Other readings will be posted on Moodle.
CLASS TIME, DATES, ESTIMATED TIME FOR COMPLETING REQUIREMENTS
Pre-trip lectures: 8 hours
JFS Field work: 40 hours
Readings: 50 hours
Quizzes: 2 hours
Written Assignments: 35 hours
TOTAL: 135 HOURS
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course will examine the relationship between communication and culture, and the
influence of culture on identity, values, behavior, and perception. Learning will be facilitated
through lectures, reading, writing assignments, and projects. The field school setting will
allow students to gain first- hand experience in cross-cultural interactions
MISSION STATEMENT
To facilitate learning experiences in communication so students develop skills essential to
improving their personal and professional relationships.
COURSE GOALS
Goal 1: Promote students' understanding of human communication behavior and
the issues arising from intercultural communication.
a) Introduce the varied contexts of intercultural
communication issues through the examination of
intercultural communication foundational
principles (e.g., worldview, power distance,
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high/low contexts, uncertainty avoidance gender
contexts, subculture contexts etc.)
Goal 2: Move students along a continuum of appreciation for diversity, from
resistance to tolerance to understanding to respect and participation
Goal 3: Develop students' competency in the oral, written, and mediated production
and presentation of ideas
Goal 4: Develop competency in evaluating symbolic constructions of culture
Goal 5: Develop competency in the analysis of relationship dynamics, and the
practice of healthy relational in intercultural communication
Goal 6: Enhance understanding cultural contexts
Goal 7: Develop competency in the construction and analysis of arguments and
discourse intended to influence beliefs, attitudes, values and practices
COURSE POLICIES
Attendance
Attendance and active participation at all preparatory sessions and tour activities is
mandatory and will be monitored.
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to uphold a high standard of academic integrity. Cheating and
plagiarism will not be tolerated, and will be addressed according to university policies
outlined in the student handbook. Instructors reserve the right use plagiarism software to
check assignments at their discretion.
Cultural Sensitivity
When interacting with Jordanians, students are expected to be culturally sensitive to
Jordanian traditions and Islamic beliefs. It is strictly prohibited to engage in drinking or
sexual activity with locals. Students are expected to dress modestly by local standards and
refrain from using profanity. Proselytizing to Muslims is against the law in Jordan. Students
should be a witness to their faith through their lifestyle, friendship, and interactions with
others.
COURSEWORK
SHORT PAPERS
Short papers are each 2 double-spaced pages, not including works cited. Citations should be
in APA format.
2
1. Cultural self-Awareness essay (due before the tour)
Write a 2 -page autobiography about your background, where you grew up, and how you
grew up. What kinds of things are significant to you? What kinds of ideas do you think
are important? How would you define your personal values? Are they similar to the
values of your family and/or friends? How rigid/flexible are they? How have they
changed/adapted/been reinforced over time? What influences them?
2. Tour and course expectations (due before the tour)
What are your expectations for the tour and for this course? What are you hoping to
learn? What challenges do you expect to face? What are you most excited about?
3. Jordan country research (due before the tour)
Research and discuss the history, demographics, economy and culture of Jordan. Don’t
forget to your sources!
4. First impressions
Write this paper like an extended journal entry over your first few days in Jordan,
focusing on your impressions of the country, culture, people, and personal interactions.
If you have been to Jordan before, let me know and I can adapt this assignment for you.
5. Non-verbal communication
Read Diwan Baladna chapters 3-4 (posted on Moodle), and then spend several days
carefully observing non-verbal language. What guestures are commonly used? What do
they mean? What guestures should be avoided? Why? What other non-verbal
communication do you notice (e.g. personal artifacts, use of space, etc.) and what do you
think its significance is?
6. Hospitality
Read the 2 Shryock articles on hospitality and Diwan Baladna chapter 7 (posted on
Moodle). How is Hospitality defined in Jordan? What is the significance of hospitality
in Jordanian culture? What symbols and rituals are associated with hospitality and what
are their significance (e.g. coffee, tea).
7. Gender
Describe how gender shapes your interactions in Jordan. Imagine and describe what it
might be like to grow up in Jordan- how would gender roles affect your identity, family
and friendships, duties and aspirations? Your discussion should be based on readings,
observations, and ideally, interviews with local people. Readings will be posted to
Moodle.
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8. Final impressions & lessons learned
Re-read your first impressions paper. What have you learned since you first arrived in
Jordan? Have any of your impressions changed? If so, how? What have you learned
from taking this course and from participating on the study tour? Include your reactions
to course requirements and any recommendations for improvement.
INTERCULTURAL INTERACTION AND REFLECTION PAPER
This assignment requires you to plan an intercultural interaction with a Jordanian (or
a Palestinian or Iraqi refugee living in Jordan). You must first research Jordanian
culture, including beliefs, values, food, verbal and non-verbal communication
practices, taboos and so on. Next develop a set of questions that you would like to
ask your Jordanian “friend. ” Spend at least 2-3 contact hours with the person (or
group of people). Interactions can include informal discussions, interviews,
observation and participant observation. You may complete this assignment as a
guest or as a host.
Note: In Jordanian culture, it is unusual for unrelated, unmarried men and women
to spend time alone together. Western women are often perceived as loose, and will
get a lot of attention from men- it may seem flattering, but be careful. Try to
befriend a Jordanian member of your own sex, or if that isn’t possible, take every
possible step to ensure that your meetings are culturally appropriate. For example,
several of you could spend time with the shop-keeper, Yusef, or you could talk to
someone who works at our hotel. In the past, female students have spent time
taking dance lessons or in hair salons for this assignment. Females who are invited
to someone’s home should always ask permission from one of the tour sponsors
before accepting, and should never go alone. Preferably, they should bring a male
from our group with them.
After your interaction, write a 5-6 page reflection paper incorporating the following
elements:
a. Introduction
b. A discussion of key historical events, values, practices, and traditions, and
taboos that you researched in preparation for your interaction (make sure to
cite your sources in-text and on a works-cited page);
c. A detailed description of the experience (s);
d. An analysis of how context, gender, power differences, and roles (such as
guest/host) affected communication;
e. A discussion of the similarities and differences between your own culture and
Jordanian culture, and implications for future interactions;
f. A discussion of how concepts, skills, and attitudes learned so far in the
course affected your understanding of the experience.
g. Conclusion
h. Works cited page (use APA formatting)
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QUIZZES
Quizzes will be posted to Moodle for chapters 1-4, 7 & 9 in your textbook. Each quiz will
be over one chapter. Questions will be multiple choice and/or true and false. You will have
20-minutes to complete each quiz, and they may be done at any time before the end of the
semester (although I recommend getting started on them before the tour). The lowest quiz
score will be dropped.
STYLE AND SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
All papers should be written in APA format and submitted on Moodle. All work must be
completed by July 31, 2015. I will give you 2% extra credit if you complete all your work by
July 17, 2015. Deferred grades will not be available for this course except under
extraordinary circumstances.
GRADING
Item
%
Attendance and Participation (including
orientation, lectures,
and field activities)
15
Short papers (5%/paper)
40
Quizzes (3%/quiz after lowest is dropped)
Cultural Experience and Reflection Paper
15
30
Total
100
A
AB+
B
B-
94-100%
90-93%
87-89%
83-86%
80-82%
C+
C
CD
F
77-79%
73-76%
70-72%
66-69%
0-65%
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