Intercultural Communication

MLL 2075

This course investigates the synergy between communication and culture and how that interface influences human interactions. How does culture affect communication? What happens when people of different cultures engage in communication with the objective of sharing ideas, information, and perspectives? How global interest in the study of intercultural communication – the obstacle to understanding other people, can be mitigated through motivation, knowledge, and appreciation of cultural differences? How to recognize and manage differences to communicate in diverse cultural environments as an individual and a professional? How do cultural differences affect communication in business settings – business protocol, leadership and management, decision-making, conflict management, etc.? In this course, students will explore these and other questions and unpack the ways in which humans communicate across cultures; recognize the relationship between foreign language fluency and effective intercultural interactions, and the potential of literature and film for the understanding of intercultural relations. Using real-world data and various case studies, students will be introduced to a range of theoretical concepts, such as the role of cultural values. Additionally, students will study how dimensions of national cultures and scientific typologies of Cultural Value Dimensions are reflected in human behavior. Students will be exposed to principles and methodological approaches of Geert Hofstede’s cultural value dimensions typology and investigate its application in various contexts. They will learn how to apply principles of intercultural communication through a global perspective in different contexts and become prepared to resolve practical problems in their life and future professional career.