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Communication: a transactional process whereby two or more individuals exchange information through the use of symbols Transactional: mutual influence; influence goes both ways Live communication is transactional: influence can happen on one another Process: something that takes place over time Some processes are shorter than others; what comes out of the process is the product Defines the behaviors that take place over time Previous ideas can influence future decisions, behaviors, events, etc. Information: knowledge, facts, attitudes, affect (feeling)/effect (result), what one can convey We usually are not talking about our feelings, we are more showing them (nonverbal communication) People will tend to believe nonverbal communication over verbal (“it’s not just WHAT you say, but HOW you say it) Use of Symbols: words. Symbols that represent material/non-material objects in order to relate/connect with other people Objects can stand for institutions (marriage)

5/29 Chapter One ● Intercultural Communication in the Context of Globalization - Technology, transportation, methods of developing communication - Globalization is changing the ways we engage in intercultural communication - Our lives are increasingly interconnected through technology + global economy - The gap between the haves and have-nots is widening (social status, hierarchy) - We are studying intercultural communication within the context of political, economic, and cultural globalization ● ● -

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Traditional Categories of Culture High culture (elite class) Low culture (working class) Popular culture (common, everyday people) Three Definitions of Culture Anthropological Culture: a learned (not genetic, socially acquired) set of shared meanings (majorital agreement; “system of meaning” = symbols), including beliefs, values, and norms which affect the behaviors of a relatively large group of people In childhood, most gravitate towards assimilation (copying, following instructions, etc.) There is often a historic (legacy) transmission to culture Cultural Studies: a site of contested meaning; NOT shared by everyone Culture is not shared by everyone, but contested and negotiated Culture is viewed as a system of domination Culture is a site where power relations are negotiated Hegemony: domination through consent Globalization of Culture: a resource Culture is used as resource for economic growth in global trade (movies, music, etc.) Resource for political movement Resource for educating people: literacy, health campaigns, etc. Resource for collective resistance and social change

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Cultural Identity A situated sense of self that is shaped by our cultural experiences and social locations

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Positionality A term that describes how we are socially positioned in relation to each other One’s social location is shaped by differences - race, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, and physical abilities

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Standpoint Theory Standpoint: A place from which to view and make sense of the world Your positionality gives a particular standpoint and perhaps a different reality from someone else

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Ethnocentrism Ethno: group or nation Kentron: center Idea that one’s own group’s way of thinking, being and acting is superior to others Ethnocentrism can result in dehumanization, prejudices, discrimination, conflict, and violence

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Intercultural Praxis Way of which we can use elements of culture and apply it to the world Praxis: Action and Reflection A process of critical analysis, reflection, and action for effective intercultural communication in the context of globalization Six ports of entry: Inquiry: having a spirit of curiosity, rather than judgement Framing: noticing that you have a perspective, and to think about alternative perspectives Positioning: noticing our social position/who we are in relation to other people Dialogue: communicating/build community Reflection: our ability to view ourselves, and to be introspective Action: being action-oriented (activism), how one verbally/non verbally interacts. Microactions ranging to communal

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Chapter Two ● Understanding the Context of Globalization ● The European Conquest - Europe’s 16th century colonization process: - Conquest of territories - Economic expansion - Exploitation of labor (slaves, servitude) - Religious conversion -

Thus began the era of globalization: Established Europe as a political/economic center Impacted global migration patterns Initiated the division between “West and the Rest” Propelled the development of capitalism

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Globalization Defined Globalization: the complex web of forces/factors that bring people, culture, cultural products, markets, as well as beliefs and practices into increasingly greater proximity to and inter-relationship with one another

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Globalization is Characterized By…

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Advances in communication technology Advances in transportation, travel, mobility Economic and political policies/practices An intensification of interaction and relationships Global interdependence A historical legacy of colonization, Western domination, and later U.S hegemony

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Democratization Transition from an authoritarian to a democratic political system that ensures the universal right to vote Globalization can have a democratizing tendency Evident in Middle East (Egypt, Libya) Rapid expansion of democracy can lead to inter-ethnic conflict

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Cultural Imperialism Cultural Imperialism: the domination of one culture over others Occurs through cultural forms such as pop culture, media, and cultural products

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Americanization Global culture homogenization with U.S. American culture Examples: McDonalds, Disney, music, fashion, etc. Some implications of ICC: Local cultures are lost Resistance to U.S./Western dominance Expectations of cultural similarity Hybrid cultural forms

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“Body Politics” and Intercultural Communication as “Embodied” Our communication with others is mediated through our bodies People interpret or project meaning onto and from our physical bodies and appearances We as humans get categorized into specific sub-demographics of individuals (i.e: skin color, facial features, facial expressions, gestures, etc.) People communicate meaning and perform identities through their bodies (i.e: clothing, hair, tattoos) Our bodies are sites where categories of social difference are “constructed” (i.e: gender, race, religion, class, sexual orientation, etc.) What is a “Social Construction?” An idea or phenomenon that has been “created,” “invented,” or “constructed” by people in a particular society or culture through communication Doesn’t exist in nature Doesn’t exist inherently; people must build and label it Social constructs exist because people agree to follow certain conventions and rules associated with the construct It then appears to be something natural (examples: breakfast, mondey, gender, race, etc.)

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Gender How are gender differences “socially constructed?” Physical differences in human bodies are used to construct mutually exclusive gender categories: women and men - Gender differences are constructed in binary opposites: 1. Masculine: strong, rational, etc. 2. Feminine: weak, emotional, etc. - (and in many cultures as more or less significant) -

Q: How is gender marked through communication? Q: What purpose does this binary system serve?

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The two-gender system reflects and maintains relationships of power Alternatives to the gender binary (cultural in nature; accepted at different times and places) Third Gender: People who live across, between, or outside of the socially constructed two-gender system of categorization Transgender: People whose gender identities differ from the social norms and expectations associated with their biological sex

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Race How are racial differences “socially constructed?” Physical differences are used to categorize people into hierarchical groups Value-laden qualities (industrious, smart, athletic, lazy, violent, etc.) are attributed to these categories based on physical differences The myth of “race” as biological Evolutionary biologist Joseph L. Graves states: no biological basis in the association of physical, mental, emotional or attitudinal qualities And yet...social inequities result and continue to impact us Inventing Race and Constructing the “Other” Hierarchy of Difference: System of classification of people predicated on the socially constructed idea of superior and inferior races (can also apply to gender, ethnicity, culture, religion, sexual orientation, etc.) Historically constructed white race as dominant and other races as “other”

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Chapter Four: (Dis)placing Culture and Cultural Space Cultural Space The communicative practices that construct meanings in, through, and about particular places - Cultural space shapes verbal and nonverbal communicative practices a. I.e: classrooms, dance clubs libraries - Communicative practices include a. The languages, accents, slangs, dress, artifacts, architectural design, the behaviors and patterns of interaction, the stories, the discourses and histories - How is the cultural space of your home, neighborhood, city, and state constructed through communicative practices?

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Identity Connected to Place Avowed Identity: the way we see, label, and make meaning about ourselves Ascribed Identity: the way others view, name, and describe us and our group

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Globalization Connected to Place Time-space Compression: a characteristic of globalization that brings seemingly disparate cultures into closer proximity, intersection and juxtaposition with each other “In-hereness AND out-thereness:” a characteristic of globalization in which a particular “here” is linked to “there,” and how this linkage of places reveals colonial histories Glocalization: the dual and simultaneous forces of globalization and localization The concept allows us to think about how globalizing forces always operate in relationship to localizing forces

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Segregated Cultural Space Throughout history and today, space has been used to establish, exert, and maintain power and control Power is signified, constructed, and regulated through size, shape, access, containment, and segregation of space Cultural spaces that are segregated based on socio-economic, racial, ethnic, sexual, political and/or religious differences Voluntary (i.e: a gated community) or involuntary/imposed (i.e: a reservation)

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Contested Cultural Space Cultural space where people with unequal control and access to resources engage in oppositional and confrontational strategies of resistance and/or contestation

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Hybrid Cultural Space The intersection of intercultural communication practices that construct meanings in, through and about particular places within a context of relations of power Examples: McDonalds in Russia

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Hybrid cultural spaces are not simply the blending of cultures and cultural practices. Rather, hybrid culture spaces involve a negotiation of power

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Hybrid Cultural Spaces as Sites of Transformation Hegemonic structures are negotiated and reconfigured through hybridization of culture, cultural space, and identity

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Chapter Five: Privileging Relationships Introduction Relationships within families, among friends, with romantic partners and co-workers, etc. have become increasingly diverse and multicultural in the age of globalization - What contributes to this? a. Enhanced mobility b. Economic interdependence c. Advances in technology ● a. b. c.

History of Intercultural Relations in the U.S Anti-miscegenation Laws Prohibited marriage between people of different races Existed in over 40 states until 1967 Loving v. Virginia Supreme Court

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Types of Intercultural Relationships Interracial Interethnic International inter-religious/inter-faith

● Sexuality in Intercultural Relationships - Heteronormativity a. The assumption that heterosexuality is the only normal, natural and universal form of sexuality - Heterosexism a. An ideological system that denies and denigrates any nonheterosexual behavior, identity, or community - What challenges to intercultural gay, lesbian, bi, trans, and queer relationships face? ● -

Forming and Sustaining Intercultural Relationships Concept of “friendship” varies across cultures

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What is expected from friends varies across cultures How friendships develop varies across cultures What purpose friendships serve varies across cultures Levels of self-disclosure vary as well as how long it takes to disclose

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Intercultural Relationship Development Process Initial encounter phase Characterized by light conversation about general topics Beginning awareness of cultural differences and misunderstandings A process of questioning preconceived notions and stereotypes Exploratory interaction phase Relationships move towards greater sharing of information Increased levels of support and connection and growing intimacy On-going involvement phase Marked by greater connection, intimacy, involvement Shared rules of engagement, and norms that guide interaction with each other

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Relational Identity/Culture The system of understanding that is developed between relational partners as they coordinate attitudes, actions, and identities within the relationship and with the world outside the relationship

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Chapter Six: Crossing Borders - Migration and Intercultural Adaptation Introduction 1 out of 35 million people living outside country of origin (nearly 200 million people) 912 million crossed borders for toursim, business, etc. How migrants adapt: Assimilation Separation Marginalization Integration

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Types of Migrants Voluntary Migrants Sojourners Immigrants Involuntary Migrants Refugees Human trafficking

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Historical Overview of World Migration First Wave of World Migration 16th - 19th century European migrants left Europe, took over foregin land, and forced migration over 15 million slaves from the west coast of Africa European power rose Second Wave of World Migration Mid 1800s to early 1900s during the Industrial Revolution Chain Migration: migrants stuck together from points of origin to distination -> segmentation of ethnic groups in the U.S Nativist Movements and Xenophobia: Movements and fears that called for the exclusion of foreign-born people. Xenophobia dramatically curtailed immigration to the U.S. until after WW2 Third Wave of World Migration After 1945 Post-industrial wave, more diverse and multidirectional Reconstruction of Europe and economic development of the U.S. Movement of people from the formerly colonized countries to the colonizing countrie Guest workers programs

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Theories of Migration Macro-level theories: Nation-state, global political/economic structure Micro-level theories: interpersonal, communal, face-to-face Meso-level theories: in-between macro and micro levels Macro-level Theories

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Push-pull Theory World Systems Theory Melting Pot Pluralism Brain Drain

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Micro-level Theories U-Curve model of adaptation W-Curve model of adaptation Integrative Theory of Cultural Adaptation Individual and environment co-define adaptation process: Attitudes and receptivity of host environment Ethic community Psychological characteristics of the individual Intercultural Transformation Emergence of intercultural identity As a result of stress-adaptation-growth process

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Meso-level Theories Migrant Networks: a set of interpersonal ties that connect migrants, former migrants, and non-migrants in origin and destinaion areas through ties of kinship, friendship and shared community origin Social Capital: The sense of commitment and obligation people within a group or network have to look after the well-being and interests of one another

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U-Curve Model of Adaptation Notes Model of psyhcological stasis Honeymoon Phase (excitement, new adventure, idealizing/romanticizing) Crisis (Fatigue, “Culture Shock,” psychological low point, disorientation) Recovery (peace of mind, effectiveness begin to take hold) Adjustment (back to business, regained confidence)

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Stress-adaptation, growth cycle

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Symptoms of Culture Shock (Crisis Point) Fits of anger over delays an minor frustrations Excessive fear of being cheated, robbed, injured Excessive concern over drinking water, food, bedding A feeling of helplessness delay/refusal to learn the language A desire to depend on others of one’s own nationality A terrible longing for familiar surroundings Absent-minded, introverted

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Great concern over minor pains/ailments Excessive hand washing

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Key Skills for Effective Adaptation Uncertainty Management Uncertainty creates anxiety There is an optimal level of anxiety 2. Willingness to Risk Fight v. Flight Flex approach (having a balance of both fight and flight approach) 3. Regular Interaction 4. Hybrid Spaces

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Chapter Seven: Jamming Media and Popular Culture Introduction Media: the modes, means, or channels through which messages are communicated Globalization includes advances in global media and the spread of popular culture Media and popular cultureL Facilitate communication across cultures Frame global issues Normalize particular cultural ideologies Fragment and disrupt national and cultural identities Forge hybrid transnational cultural identities

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Defining Popular Culture Popular Culture: systems and artifacts that the general populous or broad masses within a society share or about which most people have some understanding Folk Culture: cultural practices that are enacted for the sole purpose of people within a particular place

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Culture Industry Industries that mass produce standardized cultural goods Normalize dominant capitalist ideologies Create social practices that are uniform and homogeneous among people Easily manipulate the masses into docile and passive consumers

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Popular Culture, ICC and Globalization Cultural Corruption: the perceived and experienced alteration of a culture in negative or detrimental ways through the influnce of other cultures Cultural Homogenization: The convergence towards common cultural values and practices as a result of global integration Cultural Imperialism: the domination of one culture over others through cultural forms such as popular culture, media, and cultural products

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Fragmentation: describes the dual and simultaneous dynamic of integration and fragmentation that has emerged in the context of globalization

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Power, Hegemony, and Pop Culture U.S. control over production, ads, distribution of pop culture Infrastructure, knowledge, capital Cultural imperialism: domination through the spread of cultural products Hegemony: domination through consent Allure, pleasure, enjoyment, the “cool” of U.S. pop culture; status marker

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Consuming Popular Culture What is the impact o...