跨文化交际案例 Intercultural Communication—Case Studies

Course: Intercultural Communication—Case Studies

Textbook: Self-compiled handouts

Objectives: This curricular module prompts students with the salient issues related to intercultural communication (1CC). Its main focus is on discussions of major problems arising from ICC. During the course the students are exposed to a large variety of cases, taken from up-to-date documents. The goal is not only to build up students' knowledge of ICC, but more importantly to increase their cross-cultural awareness. The course intends to be instructive, practical and enjoyable. At the end of this course, the students will be able to

1. deepen their understanding of major ICC principles;

2. become familiar with differences in Chinese and American cultures;

3. experience conflicts and controversies in ICC;

4. enhance their abilities to analyze ICC phenomena;

5. improve their ICC competence.

Topic Areas:

Values: 1. Friendship 2. Ethics 3. Individualism & self-reliance

4. Privacy

5. Equality

6. Attributes

7. Time & space 8. Competition & cooperation 9. Volunterism & philanthropy

Daily life: 1. Lifestyle 2. Family & marriage 3. Entertainment

4. Holidays & travel

5. Art & architecture

6. Science & technology

Social life: I. Education 2. Religion 3. Political systems & law

4. Minorities

5. Prejudices &stereotyping

6. Building bridges

Assessment:

The students will have one assignment for this course. The assignment should center on one of the particular ICC issues covered in the course. They are supposed to address the topic on the basis of theoretical analysis applying the knowledge, principles, as well as strategies obtained during the course. The assignment should run approximately ten pages long, with an abstract, key words and a list of references in the APA format. It must be double-spaced, using Times New Roman (12).

Reference:

1. Larry A. Samovar. Communication Between Cultures Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, 2000

2. Dou, RQ, Qian DX, Li BX. Selected Readings in Intercultural Communication Xi’an Jiaotong University Press, 2004

3. Jia Yuxin. Intercultural Communication Shanghai Foreign languages Education Press, 2003

4. Yao Baorong. Han Qi, Wang Tao. Chinese Society and Culture Shaanxi people’s Publishing

House, 2002

5. Hu Wenzhong. Aspects of Intercultural Communication Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, 2004

6. Mei Renyi. American Studies Reader Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press, 2002

7. Robert M. Crunden. A Brief History of American Culture Paragon House, New York, 1994

8. Bradford ‘J’ Hall. Among Cultures—The Challenge of Communication Wadsworth, 2005

Intercultural Communication

------Case Studies

Unit 1 General Introduction

We are now in a quite different world from before, which is sometimes referred to as “global village”. This globalization is mainly due to the amazingly rapid development of science and technology in the areas of transportation and communication systems. Today, trips once taking years, months, weeks, and then days are now measured in a matter of hours. And people in all corners of the world share information and ideas at the same time through sophisticated technology behind such communication means as television, telephone, fax, and the internet.

It naturally follows that intercultural contact has become more frequent, more abundant and, therefore, more significant than ever before. China has become an active member of the world community, and her entry into the WTO is bound to bring us into more contact with the outside world.

Now that we will conduct more and more intercultural communication, the problem we are facing is how to do it, and how to do it well. A good knowledge of a foreign language, mainly English---- the most widely used language in the world today, is of course indispensable. But language alone does not ensure successful communication, especially intercultural communication. Let’s look at some of the communication cases between people from Chinese and English cultures:

Case 1: One cold winter day in a Chinese city, Mr. Wang Lin, on his way to the library, met an American professor who knew very little about China. After greeting him, Mr. Wang said: “It’s rather cold. You’d better put on more clothes.”But the professor didn’t appear happy hearing this. Why?(Chinese people like to show concerns, but American people like indepedence and privacy)

Case 2: You are the only Chinese among some Americans. One of them is telling a joke.