Communication and Culture

Intercultural CommunicationMontana Tech PTC 3506 and TC 5506

Professor Lori Shyba PhDlshyba@mtech.edu

Resource Manual:Intercultural Communication 13th edition, Larry Samovar

Intercultural Communication 12th edition, Larry SamovarIs also acceptable

Intercultural CommunicationInvolves interaction between people whose cultural perspectives and symbol systems are distinct enough to alter the communication event.

Past Example• Alexander the Great

paid homage to the different gods of the lands he conquered.

• Library of Alexandria 3rd Century B.C.

GlobalizationFrom anthropological perspective is “a worldwide interconnectedness, evidenced in global movements of natural resources, trade goods, human labour, finance capital, information, and infectious diseases.”

Dominant Culture• This is the group that usually has the greatest

amount of control over how the culture carries out its business

• In America the dominant group was created as people of English ethnicity.

• In America adult white males generally meet the requirements of dominance.

Contextual Communication• We say communication is contextual because

it occurs in particular situations or systems that influence what and how we communicate and what meanings we attach to messages.

• (A very rich source for critical thought about wide and varied topics.)

Contextual CommunicationElements associated with contextual nature of communication:•Cultural Context•Environmental Context•Occasion•Time

Functions of Culture• Culture exists to help us make sense of our

surroundings. It offers us a blueprint for all of life’s activities. It is based on symbols.

• From how to earn a living, how economics work, how to greet strangers, explanations of illness, how to find a mate, it gives us structure.

The Terminal (Spielberg, 2004)

An eastern immigrant finds himself stranded in JFK airport, and must take up temporary residence there.

1. Is it possible to perceive the world as other people perceive it?2. When is ethnocentricity a good thing? When is it a hazard?3. What are the basic elements of culture?4. How and why are communication and culture linked? How is

communication contextual?5. What problems might arise when trying to interpret non-verbal

actions?6. How can you best prepare to enter a new culture and deal with

culture shock?7. What are the relative merits of a fundamentalist and relativist

approach to developing an intercultural ethic?