Course detail

Intercultural Communication

FA-IKK-TEAcad. year: 2022/2023

There have always been different cultures and customs in the world, however new technologies, demographic and political changes and increased mobility mean that individuals from different cultures communicate more often than ever. Continents and oceans can be crossed on social networks in a matter of seconds thanks to the internet.
Intercultural communication is an interdisciplinary field dealing with the themes and consequences of diversity in communication in different social groups and cultures.
The course is intended especially for students who are interested in developing their knowledge in the field of cultural anthropology, as well as in the field of effective communication, leadership and work in a international team ... It is especially suitable for students preparing for a foreign internship or who simply want to gain deeper understanding of people around them.

Language of instruction

English

Number of ECTS credits

2

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

MgA.,MA.,Dott. Karin Písaříková, Ph.D. et Ph.D.

Department

Department of Theory (UT)

Offered to foreign students

The home faculty only

Learning outcomes of the course unit

Not applicable.

Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Co-requisites

Not applicable.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Lecture with audiovisual materials, working with texts and practical exercise.

Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes

Written assignment. Presence, active participation, taking part in discussion.

Course curriculum

Semester block schedule:
  1. Information on the structure, content and final assessment of the course. Introduction to the history of intercultural communication as an applied discipline. Key concepts. Hall, Hofstede, Huntington, Trompenaars - presentation of comparison and criticism of classical models of culture analysis.
  2. How different cultural theories affect values, behavior, regions, classes, race, gender, ethnicity, etc. High-context vs. low-context culture. Myths, legends, semiotics. The cornerstones of intercultural communication and how culture shaping affects human identity, interpersonal and international relations.
  3. Fundamentals of cross-cultural psychology, influence of different cultures on human behavior and experience. Non-verbal communication, communication in various fields and sectors of human activity and application in fields of study. An overview of existing and potential strategies that increase the interest in and understanding of different cultures. Different perception of time and space.
  4. Recognizing potential friction points that can lead to misunderstandings and barriers in effective communication. Cultural shock, intercultural adaptation and the process of developing an individual's cultural identity.
  5. Critical evaluation of intercultural relations, analysis and context understanding. Building empathy and increasing intercultural awareness through respect for diversity and different perceptions of the world. Universal vs. Personal. Support for self-study and practical exercises.
  6. Practical exercises. Submission of written assignment.

Work placements

Not applicable.

Aims

The aim of this course is to acquaint students with the basic theoretical and methodological basis of intercultural communication, in order to understand and respect diverse cultural and communication context and to raise awareness of personal, social and cultural identities.
In the first part of the course, we will focus on a basic understanding of how cultures shape and influence communication and behavior. In the next section, we will draw on established theories of social analysis and build knowledge of intercultural issues. In the conclusion we will focus on the ability to apply the acquired knowledge in practice in situations of intercultural misunderstanding, social integration and interactions containing ethnic, racial, gender or class aspects. The course will be taught in an interactive form with practical exercises. We will also cover the basic etiquette of video calls.

Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences

Not applicable.

Recommended optional programme components

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Berry, John W. et al. Cross-cultural psychology: research and applications. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011. (EN)
Campbell, Joseph. The Hero With a Thousand Faces. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1949. (EN)
Hall, Edward T. Beyond Culture, Garden City, N.Y. : Anchor Press, 1976. (EN)
Hall, Edward T. The Dance of Life: The Other Dimension of Time, Anchor, 1983. (EN)
Hofstede, Geerd. Culture’s Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions, and Organizations Across Nations, 2nd ed. Sage, 2001. (EN)
Shiraev, Eric - Levy, David A. Cross-cultural psychology : critical thinking and contemporary applications, Boston: Pearson 2013. (EN)
Trompenaars, Fons - Hampden-Turner, Charles. Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding Cultural Diversity in Business, London: Nicolas Brealey Publ. 1999. (EN)

Recommended reading

Mikuláštík, Milan. Komunikační dovednosti v praxi, Praha: Grada 2010. (CS)
Průcha, Jan. Interkulturní komunikace. Vyd. 1. Praha: Grada. Psyché 2010. (CS)

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme BX_A+U Bachelor's

    branch ARCH , 1. year of study, summer semester, elective

  • Programme N_A+U Master's, 1. year of study, summer semester, elective
  • Programme NX_A+U Master's, 1. year of study, summer semester, elective

Type of course unit

 

Seminar

26 hours, compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

MgA.,MA.,Dott. Karin Písaříková, Ph.D. et Ph.D.

E-learning texts

A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Websites from High-Context Cultures and Low-Context Cultures Elizabeth Würtz (en)