Communication 319G
Intercultural Communication
Global/Intercultural University Designated Class
Dr. Janet W. Colvin
Phone:863-7282
E-Mail:colvinja@uvu.edu
Office: LC240
Hours: TR 8-9:30, 11:30-2:30
Texts:
Kurlyo, A. (2012). Inter/cultural Communication. Sage publishers.
Selected Readings on e-reserve
Course Description:
In today’s multicultural, global society, intercultural communication is a common
occurrence. It is what happens when one person from one cultural, linguistic,
ethnic, racial, or social group interacts with a person from a different group.
When studying intercultural communication, we face an increasing number of
difficult questions to address:
- It is enough to identify differences among people?
- Are we actually reinforcing stereotypes in emphasizing differences?
- Is there a way to understand the dynamics of intercultural
communication without resorting to lists of instructions?
- How does discourse play a role in intercultural communication?
Global/Intercultural understanding should be considered and explored from a
variety of perspectives. The requirement will foster greater understanding of,
interaction with, and appreciation for, cultures that reflect the diversity present
within the local and campus communities, up to the larger state and global
context. Courses satisfying the requirement will articulate and examine the
unique perspectives, experiences and concerns of individuals and groups
representing cultures other than one’s own. Such understanding and
appreciation will both enhance the educational experience of students and
facilitate their preparation to participate as active, informed, respectful citizens.
G/I Objectives:
1. To analyze and evaluate global or intercultural issues.
2. To discuss stereotypical cultural conceptions and recognize the
complexity and variety of different cultural groups.
3. To evaluate how one's own cultural rules and biases compare and
contrast with those from different cultures.
Trait:
To interrelate respectfully with individuals representing cultures and
perspectives other than one’s own.
Throughout this course, we will attempt to better understand and answer these
questions. This course is structured to help you use these approaches to
develop a more precise appreciation of the complexity of human communication
and to further develop your abilities and skills to understand, with a critical
competence, the role of culture in various contexts.
Course Requirements:
In order to create an optimal learning environment, there are a few “basic needs”
that must be meant:
 The classroom needs to be a safe place to learn, this means that we
must be respectful of everyone and everything they say. We are obligated
to create a space where everyone feels safe to reflect, share, disagree,
and explore ideas together.
 Attendance is essential. Please be here and be on time. Because so
much of your learning will take place during class discussions and
activities, you will earn points for attendance to class. Please note -missed classes cannot be made up; there is no distinction between an
excused or unexcused absence. Excessive tardiness may be counted as
absences and result in a loss of points. 5 points are subtracted from
participation scores for each missed class.

Due dates are FIRM. Presentation dates and 3x5 discussion cards can
NOT be changed or made-up. In the case of an extreme emergency
contact me as soon as you can, otherwise the schedule provided explicitly
lists the due dates for all of the assignments for the entire semester.
Consider yourself informed.
Course Expectations:
Your grade in this course will be based on the following:
ATTENDANCE/PARTICIPATION:
- Attendance is essential! This course is designed around a series of
discussions and activities. Please be here. Missed classes will affect
your grade significantly. If you are unable to attend contact me by email
prior to class.
- Equally important – be punctual – tardiness distracts from this learning
community.
- Part of your grade will be awarded for regular in-class participation.
“Participation” is not the same as “talking.” Participation is earned for
active, engaged involvement in class exercises and activities. It is making
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quality (not quantity) contributions and critiques by listening to and with
others, offering honest and constructive criticism to your classmates,
investing effort in graded and non-graded assignments, participating in
class activities, asking appropriate and helpful questions, and integrating
readings into class discussion.
3x5 cards. Each class period a 3x5 card is due at the beginning of class.
This card should list 5 discussion questions that can be used during class
to enhance discussion. Each card is worth 1-5 points.
BLOG (1, 3):
- You will create a personal blog, which will also be linked to our course
blog. The blog will be composed of weekly blog posts. Some of these will
be more directed and some will be personal reflections. You will also be
composing and presenting your NPR assignment on this blog. The final
blog presentation to the class will count as your final exam.
CULTURAL SELF-ASSESSMENT (2,3):
- Write a cultural self-assessment paper. Knowledge of intercultural
communication begins with an understanding of one’s own cultural
assumptions, socialization processes, and behaviors. Further, ongoing
assessment of one’s own cultural norms will actively support improved
intercultural communication. Cultural self-assessment is not a process
that has an end. This assignment asks you to carefully consider the ideas
and beliefs about cultural identity with which you grew up and those to
which you continue to subscribe.
- Follow these guidelines:
- Include a one paragraph introduction and a one-to two paragraph
conclusion
- Aim for depth rather than breadth. Strive for a narrow focus. Do not
try to do too much.
- Make sure your writing is concise.
- Make sure your paper is well organized.
- Be sure to clearly include in-depth attention to the following areas in your
paper:
- Introduction (one paragraph).
- Cultural identity overview (one page maximum). Briefly describe your
own cultural identity, in terms of race, gender, and socioeconomic
class. (Be sure to clearly state your gender, socioeconomic class, and
race (race is different from ethnicity.) Also address other important
cultural identifications you have (for example, religion, language,
geographic region, or ability). Did you grow up in a small town or large
city, both, either? Did you often come into contact with people who
were culturally different from you?
- Ideas about Cultural Groups Different from Your Own (2 pages).
Choose two of the following cultural identifications: gender, race,
socioeconomic class. For each of these two identifications, you will
-
-
address several questions. (For example, if you identify as a white
middle class woman, you might choose gender and race. In this
section, you would discuss what you learned about men and what you
learned about African Americans, Asian Americans, Latin Americans,
and/or American Indians. If you are middle class and you choose
socioeconomic class, you would discuss what you learned about
working class and/or upper class people.) Please address the
following: What did you learn about groups different from your own in
these two identifications? Were these groups as intelligent as your
own? Have similar values? Did they usually behave in any certain
way? How did these groups fit into your worldview (or not)? If you
heard from your parents or other people you knew that “everyone was
equal” or that you should “treat everyone the same,” did your family
come into contact with enough people different from themselves to put
these beliefs into practice? Make concrete examples.
Sources of Cultural Knowledge and Input (2 pages). In regards to the
two groups different from your own that you chose above, from where
did/do you get your knowledge? In other words, who have been and
are your teachers about these groups? What are your sources of
information? How has the media shaped your information about these
two groups? This section must include attention to the ways in which
the media has influenced your ideas about cultural groups different
from your own.
Conclusion (two paragraphs). For this section, you should articulate
three questions/areas of interest you have related to intercultural
communication. Be thoughtful and specific. Reflect on sections i-iv; tell
me three areas in which you would like to know more by the end of the
class. Be specific. Say more than “I am hoping to be better able to
communicate with different cultures,” or “I want to understand more
about different cultures.”
GROUP ARTICLE PRESENTATION:
- At the beginning of the semester, you will be assigned to a small group to
present an e-reserve article assigned for one of the class days and lead
the class in a discussion of the article. You will be expected to help
facilitate conversation among your classmates on the article. You will be
expected to relate the article to other readings you have done for this
class and any current social events. Be sure you understand how the
article contributes to the study of intercultural communication. Why was it
important for us to read it? Bring with you solid discussion questions that
can be introduced in class. It might be necessary for you to do some
background/outside reading to further prepare to lead discussion.
- While going over the main points is important, your discussion should not
start and stop there. Bring in applicable contextual materials to help you
out. You may want to do some outside reading to help you contextualize.
Member evaluations are due on Canvas within a week following your
presentation. After the week is up you will receive a zero on member
evaluations.
SERVICE LEARNING (2,3):
- This is a “service learning” designated course. As educated people, and
as members of the democratic community, one of your obligations is to
make the world a little better for those who are less fortunate than you.
Community service, and service learning, in your college years and after,
is a way for you who are educated and privileged (and you are, just
because you are able to attend this institution) to give something back to
the community and to model everyday moral competence. Be reminded
that the community pays for a large share of your education at a state
institution. This will also give you an opportunity to interact with and serve
people from other cultures who live right here in our community.
Therefore, as a group, you will develop a project and (each student)
contribute 20 hours toward the project. Your work on this project will count
a total of 500 points toward your final grade.
- Post weekly updates on individual blogs about the experiences you are
having with service learning and how it relates to course topics.
SELF-REFLECTION PAPER
- Write a 2-3 page paper explaining what you learned from the servicelearning experience.
CURRENT INTERCULTURAL ISSUE
- Pick an article from either NPR’s “This American Life” or “RadioLab” with a
current Intercultural issue as its theme. You will then decide how you will
address or resolve the issue. You will also pick at least two articles from
peer reviewed journals to support your solution or point of view. You will
present your information on a blog outlining your article and your solution
along with the articles that support your viewpoint.
- You will give a 5-10 minute presentation about your blog.
EXTRA CREDIT
- Cultural Event Attendance: Attend at least one cultural event and give a 23 minute presentation in class about what you learned from this
attendance. (5 pts)
- Read one of the books from the list (see me if you’re interested) and give
a 3 minute presentation about what you learned from reading this book.
(15 pts)
LATE WORK
-
No late work will be accepted unless previous arrangements have been
made.
Course Grading:
Participation/Attendance
Blog
Set up and link to course blog
Weekly posts (10@13 pts. each)
NPR Assignment
NPR Presentation
Blog Presentation
Cultural Self-Assessment Paper
Group Article Presentation
Member Evaluations
Service Learning Participation (20 hours)
Service Learning self-reflection paper
_
____________
TOTAL POSSIBLE –
250 points
20 points
130 points
90 points
10 points
60 points
100 points
100 points
20 points
100 points
20 points
900 POINTS
Grading scale and class schedule may be changed to better fit the reading
materials and class activities. If you believe there has been an error in the
grading of your work, submit in writing the issues that you would like to have reevaluated and a copy of the work before the next project is due.
Students with Disabilities
If you have any disability which may impair your ability to successfully complete
this course, please contact the Accessibility Services Department (BU - 145, 8638787, or acs@uvsc.edu ). Academic Accommodations are granted for all
students who have qualified documented disabilities. Services are coordinated
with the student and instructor by Accessibility Services Department.
Ethics & Classroom Policies
Each student is expected to maintain academic ethics and honesty in all its
forms. Including but not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, and copyright
infringement as defined hereafter:
1. Cheating- is the act of using or attempting to use or providing others with
unauthorized information, materials or study aids in academic work.
Cheating includes, but is not limited to, passing examination answers to or
taking examinations for someone else, or preparing or copying others
academic work.
2. Plagiarism- is the act of appropriating any other persons or groups ideas
or work (written, computerized, performed, artistic, etc.) or portions thereof
and passing them off as the product of ones own work in any academic
exercise or study.
3. Copyright Infringement- is the act of using any copyrighted material
without the expressed written permission of the owner or organization
maintaining the rights to the work including music, written material, artistic
choreography, performances, etc...).
Tentative Schedule
Date
Reading/Assignment
1/7
1/9
Introduction to class
Chapter 1 Culture and
Communication; Ayelen Butler
1/14
1/16
Chapter 1; Innovation Center
Chapter 2 Intercultural and CrossCultural Communication; Electronic
Tribe
1/21
1/23
Chapter 2
Chapter 3 Intercultural Communication
Competence
Blog post due
1/28
1/30
Chapter 3 Babakieuria Video
Chapter 4 A Communication Theory of
Culture
Blog post due
2/4
2/6
Chapter 5 Culture in Conversation
Chapter 5 Culture in Conversation
2/11
2/13
Article Presentation: Scott:
Broadening the View of Black
Language Use
Chapter 6 Self-Identity and Culture
2/18
2/20
Chapter 6; Joseph Ostraff
Chapter 7 Ingroups and Outgroups
Group Assignments
Blog linked to course
Blog post due
Self-Assessment paper
due; Blog post due
Blog Post due
2/25
2/27
Article Presentation: Cheryan &
Monin: Where are you really from?
Article Presentation: Jia: Chinese
Perspective on Harmony
Blog post due
3/4***
3/9***
Work on NPR paper/presentation
Work on NPR paper/presentation
No Class
No Class
3/11
3/13
Spring Break
Spring Break
No Class
No Class
3/18
Chapter 8 Privilege and Culture
“I can fix it”
“Racist like me”
“10 Conversations on Racism” (URL
on canvas)
“New York Times article” (URL on
canvas)
Article Presentation: Monaghan:
Working Against the Grain: White
Privilege in HR Development
3/20
3/25
3/27
NPR presentations
NPR presentations
4/1
Chapter 9 Co-culture Group
Membership
Article Presentation: Urban & Orbe:
The Syndrome of the Boiled Frog
4/3
4/8
4/10
Chapter 10 Advocacy
Article Presentation: Fox, White
Awareness and Our Responsibility
to End Racism
4/15
Chapter 11 Media and Culture: The
“Reality” of Media Effects
Article Presentation: Cox & Proffitt:
The Housewives’ Guide to Better
Living
4/17
4/22
Chapter 15 Challenges and
Opportunities in Inter/Cultural
Communication
Blog post due
NPR assignment due
on Blog
Blog post due
Blog post due
Blog post due
4/24
Blog Presentations
4/29
Final Exam: 1-3 pm Blog
Presentations to class
Service Learning paper
and hours
documentation due