Development Studies (DEST) 485 Seminar S20

INTERNATIONAL AND INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION

Spring 2008

TR 14:00 - 16:45

 

 

Instructor:	Brenda Johnston
Office Location:	MFH 2350
Office Phone:	220-2505
E-Mail:	brendajohnston@shaw.ca
Office Hours:	Tuesdays 11:30 - 13:30

Additional Information

Regular attendance is expected for this course.

Course Description

This course is a seminar in cross-cultural communication at the personal, organizational, societal, and international levels. It will discuss the concept of ‘Globalization' and its implication for communication among different cultures; analyze various theoretical perspectives underlying intercultural communication; explore issues of power, identity and influence; and examine intercultural encounters in the context of specific diversified settings.

Objectives of the Course

The objectives of the course are to:

1.      Equip students with the tools necessary for interacting appropriately and effectively in the emerging context of globalization and multiculturalism.

2.      Provide a critical understanding regarding the contexts and patterns of communication through which information is structured and exchanged.

3.      Enable students to independently engage in a scholarly examination of aspects of intercultural communication at different levels of interaction, based on various intellectual approaches and theoretical perspectives.

Textbooks and Readings:

Required:  Larry A. Samovar, Richard E. Porter and Edwin R. McDaniel: Communication Between Cultures Sixth Edition, Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth, 2007

Suggested: Larry A Samovar, Richard E. Porter and Edwin R McDaniel: Intercultural Communication: A Reader Eleventh Edition, Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth, 2006

In addition, there will be class handouts.

Assignments and Evaluation

Class Participation 15% (Students are expected to participate in class discussions in a way that indicates they are engaging with assigned readings and lectures - class participation criteria will be outlined in the first class)

 

Mid-Term Exam 20% - June 3, 2008

 

Research Paper 30% - Due June 12, 2008

 

Team Project 15% - Oral Group Presentations - in class June 19, 2008. The team project will involve a 30 minute oral group presentation and a report to be handed in the day of the presentation.

 

Take-Home Assignment 20% - Handed out in class June 19, 2008, and due in class June 26, 2008. This assignment will involve a 5 page critical reflections paper (no research outside of the text, reader, class discussions and class handouts are necessary for the assignment).

It is the student's responsibility to keep a copy of each submitted assignment.
Note: Please hand in your essays directly to your tutor or instructor if possible. If it is not possible to do so, a daytime drop box is available in SS110; a date stamp is provided for your use. A night drop box is also available for after-hours submission. Assignments will be removed the following morning, stamped with the previous day's date, and placed in the instructor's mailbox.

Registrar-scheduled Final Examination: NO

Please note: If your class is held in the evening, the Registrar's Office will make every attempt to schedule the final exam during the evening; however, there is NO guarantee that the exam will NOT be scheduled during the day.

Policy for Late Assignments

Assignments submitted after the deadline may be penalized with the loss of a grade (e.g.: A- to B+) for each day late.

Writing Skills Statement

Faculty policy directs that all written assignments (including, although to a lesser extent, written exam responses) will be assessed at least partly on writing skills. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. Writing skills include not only surface correctness (grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc) but also general clarity and organization. Research papers must be properly documented.

If you need help with your writing, you may use the Writing Centre.  Visit the website for more details: www.efwr.ucalgary.ca

Grading System

The following grading system is used in the Faculty of Communication and Culture:

A+ (96-100); A (92-95); A- (86-91); B+ (81-85); B (77-80); B- (71-76);
C+ (65-70); C (62-64); C- (59-61); D+ (55-58); D (50-54); F (0-49)

Plagiarism

Using any source whatsoever without clearly documenting it is a serious academic offense. Consequences include failure on the assignment, failure in the course and possibly suspension or expulsion from the university.

You must document not only direct quotations but also paraphrases and ideas where they appear in your text. A reference list at the end is insufficient by itself. Readers must be able to tell exactly where your words and ideas end and other people's words and ideas begin. This includes assignments submitted in non-traditional formats such as Web pages or visual media, and material taken from such sources.

Please consult your instructor or the Writing Centre (SS 106, efwr.ucalgary.ca) if you have any questions regarding how to document sources.

Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with a disability who may require academic accommodation, it is your responsibility to register with the Disability Resource Centre (220-8237) and discuss your needs with your instructor no later than fourteen (14) days after the start of the course.

Students' Union

For details about the current Students' Union contacts for the Faculty of Communication and Culture see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/su

"SAFEWALK" Program -- 220-5333

Campus Security will escort individuals day or night -- call 220-5333 for assistance. Use any campus phone, emergency phone or the yellow phone located at most parking lot booths.

Schedule of Lectures and Readings

A detailed list of Topics and Readings will be handed out in the first class.