INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION LECTURE - 2015 SPRING SEMESTER
COURSE OUTLINE
This course will help you understand some key concepts involved in intercultural communication:
ethnocentrism, egocentrism, discrimination, … This accumulated knowledge and experience should
help you improve your intercultural communication skills.
SCHEDULE
W1
- I have a dream: M. Luther King & Gandhi + Imagine, J. Lennon’s song interpreted by 40 Israeli & 40
Arab children for S. Perez’s birthday.
- Motto activity.
- Ethnocentrism through different cultural meaning of tattoos.
W2
- Discrimination: introduction with the universal language of music; common basis for
discrimination: 1. philosophy of superior and inferior races, racial discrimination in history with
Hitler and Rwanda; 2. skin color; 3. main ethnic group vs. minorities: Japan & minorities, US &
minorities with Freedom Writers Diary
- Discrimination & ethnocentrism.
W3
- From ethnocentrism to egocentrism: personal meanings of tattoos; etymology.
- Duck activity: “all different, all just right” Kaneko Misuzu.
- General definition of collectivism.
W4
Collectivist societies: definition, focus, origins of collectivism in Japan, positive & negative aspects
of collectivism, collectivism leading to bullying (lunch mate syndrome).
W5
- Blood type discussion to emphasize the importance of critical thinking.
- Individualism: definition, examples of individualism & collectivism, strong & weak points, finding
balance.
- Perspectives: Japan compared to the rest of the world (collectivist) and to other Asian countries
(individualist); no absolute truth.
W6
- Perspectives: India, Britain & Pakistan background info; Shake Up Your Story, Raghava KK (TED
Talk): teaching perspectives to teach empathy.
- Sam Richards, A Radical Experiment in Empathy, TEDx UPenn.
W7
- Perspectives: The Danger of a Single Story, Chimamanda Adichie (TED Talk).
- 6 keys to successful communication – understanding (1) and respecting (2) differences –
common ground (3) – smiling (4) – speaking (5) – listening (6).
- Weird or Just Different? Derek Sivers (TED Talk).
W8
- Speaking and listening keys: general introduction.
- Smiling key: The Hidden Power of Smiling, Ron Gutman (TED Talk).
- Universal expression of emotions: Paul Ekman’s work & the Facial Action Coding System;
physiological changes related to smiles; making others smile.
W9
Speaking key: speaking to make other people smile; experiments with negative and positive
words; the stereotype embodiment theory: the power of words; changing speaking habits.
W10
- Power of Kindness video: Jen ratio & positive human interactions.
- Speaking key: negative influence of media or people; possible solutions; overcoming shyness;
being a good finder.
W11
- Review of week 9 & 10 and introduction of kotodame (言霊).
- Speaking key & laughter: therapeutic and social benefits of laughter; Patch Adams’ story.
- Keys to being a good communicator.
W12
Listening: facts; why we don’t listen to people; how to listen to people; what we should listen to.
W13
- Listening: skills; benefits of true listening; why we can’t listen to people; how we can listen: Five
Ways to Listen Better, Julian Treasure (TED Talk).
W14: Movie: Patch Adams
W15: Students’ presentations + deadline for written reports.