Örebro, Sweden - Stanford || Cross-Cultural Rhetoric Video Conference || November 9, 2009
Activity: Rhetorical Analysis of Images of Culture 1: Websites & Artifacts
I. 18:10-18:15 / 9:10-9:15 am (5 Minutes)
Location: In Marratech, connect in Örebro Room T217 at http://emeeting.tech.oru.se:8000/index.jsp
Welcome Remarks from Professors and Introduction to the first of three collaborations
Anders Eriksson, Örebro University
Alyssa O’Brien, Stanford University
II. 18:20-18:30 / 9:20-9:30 am (10 Minutes)
Location: Rooms A, B, C, D, & E at http://switchboard.stanford.edu.
Activity: Getting to Know Teams in a Cross-Cultural Context
1. Type your names and emails on the whiteboard;
2. Introduce yourselves by name, age, place of origin, and course of study.
3. Describe the visual rhetoric of your bedroom to each other – what does your room say about you?
III. 18.30-19.00 / 9.30-10.00 am (30 minutes)
Activity: Rhetorical Analysis of Websites and Artifacts as Images of Culture
Work through both parts of the part rhetorical analysis as a TEAM:
1. WEBSITES as images of culture (academic, regional, national):
In a resized browser window, analyze and compare the visual rhetoric of the websites for
Örebro University (http://www.oru.se/) and Stanford University (http://www.stanford.edu).
For the Örebro site, first analyze the Swedish page by looking at the visual rhetoric, and then you
can switch to English to read more about the University. Be sure to focus on the VISUALS of each
website, NOT on the WORDS.
A. What kind of ethos does the university construct on the website through images, design,
layout, font, arrangement of visual elements, and choice of specific visual elements?
B. How does the website use pathos – that, is what specific kinds of emotions does it evoke?
C. What argument is made about the school – and perhaps nation – through logical appeals?
D. What do you learn about kairos, right rhetoric for the time and place – in terms of what are
the “HOT TOPICS” or important events in each culture/school right now?
E. What can you conclude about doxa , or cultural values, from this website? How does the
doxa suggested by the website confirm or challenge cultural stereotypes that might exist
about the country? Feel free to explore and argue here a little about those stereotypes.
Continued 
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CCR Video Conference: November 9, 2009
2. ARTIFACTS as images of culture (personal, collective, social, cultural):
o Now, analyze a cultural artifact – some concrete object. It can be either something you
brought in to share today OR something you have on yourself (a type of pen, keychain, coffee
cup, cell phone, etc), analyze and compare the visual rhetoric of everyday objects. What do you
learn about doxa , or cultural values, from your objects? How does the object enrich or
confuse your understanding of the person’s culture?
o
Next, look at each other’s clothing – what kinds of styles are worn in each country? Discuss
brand names, cultural trends and fashions, ways of dressing. Have a partner look at the tag in a
shirt or jacket – where is the clothing from? How does clothing as visual rhetoric make an
argument about cultural values? How do the places the clothing are made reveal larger truths
about globalization or economics shaping these cultures? What is the nomos – or imposed
cultural norms – shaping what people wear?
IV. 19.00-19.10/ 10.00-10.10 (10 minutes)
Collaborative Group Activity: CREATE A TEAM NAME
You have been discussing differences and rhetorically analyzing differences in each other’s countries or
cultures. Now it is time to think critically about how you can create a cross-cultural bond as a TEAM.
Imagine you will be working together from now on as an international organization. Your expertise as a
company is all about analyzing culture – showing clients how to better understand audience based on your
skills in analyzing cultural images and artifact about that audience.
Together, come up with a NAME for your team based on things you have discussed today. Have a rationale
for your NAME. Collaboratively write a one sentence rationale for your team NAME on the whiteboard.
You can insert images of yourselves as well (take a photo with the webcam in Marratech), or any clip art you
want. Be prepared to present your name and rationale to the other teams.
Tech tip: To save your whiteboard: In Marratech, choose File/Export Image  save as .jpg on Desktop.
V. 19.15-19.30/ 10.15-10.30 (10-15 minutes, once everyone connects to T217)
Connecting with the whole Class
Goals: To learn effective communication across cultures and as mediated through technology; to develop
active listening expertise; to teach others about persona and cultural values; to learn from others
Instructions:
1. In Marratech, switch to T217 http://emeeting.tech.oru.se:8000/index.jsp
2. To open your Team’s image, click on the whiteboard, then choose File/Open Image
3. Each Team presents its Name and its statement of explanation.
4. Listeners can type into the chat words of praise or feedback.
VI. After the Video Conference
1. Debrief at Individual Universities
2. Please post a reflection on today’s video conference as a comment on the CCR blog at
http://ccr.stanford.edu – click on Blogging, then “Read the Blog”
3. Keep in touch on Facebook! Friend each other and also join the Group “Cross-Cultural Rhetoric”