Syllabus
Normal 0 21
1. Introduction Developing communicative competences - what does it mean - what is it about? - Awareness of cultural differences - Learning skills to communicate adequately with people from other cultures
2. Presentation of one´s own country and culture Group work, presentations in plenary
3. Presentation of one´s own country and culture Presentations in plenary
4. Culture as mental programming (Introduction) The concept of "Culture as mental programming" (G. Hofstede) The concept of "Cultural Standards" (A. Thomas) Developing cultural and communicative sensitivity: Exercise: Moonies and Sunnies
5. Awareness exercises I: How would you feel? What would you do? Culturally determined behavior in different situations Observation and Interpretation The Five Basic Problems of Society Teamwork
6. The Five Basic Problems of Society (Presentations in plenary) Introduction into Hofstede´s concept of cultural dimensions
7. The Five Basic Problems of Society (Hofstede) (Presentations in plenary) Introduction into Hofstede´s concept of cultural dimensions
8. The cultural concept of Ronald Inglehart (Presentations in plenary)
9. Developing communicative competences Awareness exercises Conflict situations Dealing with different interests Solving conflicts
10. Developing communicative competences The Ten Synthetic Culture Profiles Role-Playing I Conflict situations between people in hierarchically different social positions The boss and his employee
11. Developing communicative competences Role-Playing II Exercise: City Council
12. Debriefing Repetition
13. Test
Annotation
The seminar will focus on acquiring and developing intercultural communication competences. By encouraging our cultural sensitivity we will develop an attitude that sees diversity as an opportunity rather than a danger. We will try to analyze and understand our cultural and communicative specific behavior, search for and explain cultural differences.
In the second part participants will become acquainted with some theoretical concepts of culture mainly with Geert Hofstede´s concept of "Cultural dimensions" and with the concept of Ronald Inglehart. These concepts should be presented in form of (power point) presentations by the students. The presentations should serve as a basis for further discussions in class.
In the third part of the seminar we will develop a more conscious communicative behavior by means of discussing "case studies", teamwork and role-playings. It will be asked what we should change in our "normal" communicative behavior in order to succeed in intercultural communication situations.