Introductory description

While the idea of culture can seem relatively straightforward, how we understand it has become quite a contested area in the study of intercultural communication. This module will give you a better understanding of the idea of culture. In particular, you will be introduced to a range of conceptualisations of ‘culture’ that have been developed in different disciplinary areas. In this way, the module will enable you to gain a critical perspective on the views of culture so you can better understand your experience of communicating interculturally in everyday life and in the workplace.

The module will start by asking what culture is. It will go on to consider the idea of culture from three perspectives. First, the perspective of social psychology considers culture as a set of values, beliefs and behaviours held and practised by individuals. Secondly, sociological and anthropological perspectives consider culture more as a manifestation of groups, such as the nation state, community, or organisation. And finally, cultural studies and poststructuralist perspectives view culture as a set of representations produced by discourse and other semiotic resources. You will be exposed to these ideas through seminar presentations and selected readings. You will be also encouraged to explore your own position in relation to these different perspectives critically, and with reference to your own intercultural work, through seminar discussion and within the course assignment.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

• Introduction: What is culture?
• Cross-cultural (etic) perspectives on values, beliefs and behaviour: e.g., individualism/collectivism (Hofstede/Minkov), basic human values (S. Schwartz), social axioms (Kwok Leung), self-construals (Vignoles).
• Cultural (emic) perspectives on cultural groups:
  • the social imaginary and the idea of the nation state (E. Hall; Anderson);
  • organisational cultures (Hampden-Turner; Trompenaars etc.);
  • common sense as a cultural system (Geertz, anthropological and ethnomethodological approaches).
• Cultural representations:
  • the culture of everyday life (Williams, S. Hall and cultural studies);
  • beyond culture: postmodernism and culture (Said and postcolonial theory).

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate in-depth knowledge and critical understanding of multidisciplinary conceptualisations of culture;
• Demonstrate in-depth knowledge and understanding of cross-cultural (etic) perspectives on values, beliefs and behaviour;
• Demonstrate in-depth knowledge and understanding of cultural (emic) perspectives on cultural groups;
• Demonstrate in-depth knowledge and understanding of representations of culture;
• Apply different conceptualizations of culture in order to understand and communicate with a variety of people in the workplace and in everyday life;
• Select and apply different, appropriate conceptualizations of culture in order to carry out research and project work in intercultural communication and interaction.

Indicative reading list

• Anderson, B R. O'G. (2006). Imagined communities: reflections on the origin and spread of nationalism. Verso.
• Bhabha, H. K. (2004). The location of culture. Routledge.
• Byram, M. (1989). Cultural studies in foreign language education. Multilingual Matters.
• Hall, E.T. (1989). Beyond culture. Anchor Books.
• Hampden-Turner, C. & Trompenaars, F. (2000). Building cross-cultural competence: How to create wealth from conflicting values. John Wiley.
• Hofstede, G. (1984). Culture's consequences: International differences in work-related values. Sage.
• McConachy, T., & Spencer-Oatey, H. (2021). Cross-cultural and Intercultural pragmatics. In M. Haugh, D. Kádár & M. Terkourafi (Eds.), Cambridge handbook of sociopragmatics. Cambridge University Press.
• Minkov, M. (2018), A revision of Hofstede’s model of national culture: Old evidence and new data from 56 countries. Cross Cultural & Strategic Management, 25(2), 231-256.
• Piller, I. (2017). Intercultural communication: a critical introduction (2nd ed.). Edinburgh University Press.
• Said, E.W. (1979). Orientalism. Vintage Books.
• Shaules, J. (2007). Deep culture: The hidden challenges of global living. Multilingual Matters.
• Shaules, J. (2019). Edward Hall ahead of his time: Deep culture, intercultural understanding, and embodied cognition. Intercultural Communication Education, 2(1), 1-19.
• Schwartz, S. H. (2012). An overview of the Schwartz theory of basic values. Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, 2, 1.
• Stokoe, E., & Attenborough, F. (2015). Ethnomethodological methods for identity and culture: Conversation analysis and membership categorisation. In F. Dervin & K. Risager (Eds.), Researching Identity and Interculturality. Routledge.
• Triandis, H. C. (1977). Interpersonal behaviour. Brooks/Cole.
• Williams, R. (1995). The sociology of culture. University of Chicago Press,

International

The module engages with culture on a conceptual level but also with different cultures and with perspectives on culture from around the world. As such it is international in regards to its subject matter, the authors we read and the students taking the module, who are encouraged to bring different examples and perspectives to the seminar discussions.

Subject specific skills

-Apply different conceptualisations of culture in order to understand and communicate with a variety of people in the workplace and in everyday life.

-Select and apply different, appropriate conceptualisations of culture in order to carry out research and project work in intercultural communication and interaction.

Transferable skills

• Communicate clearly and contribute effectively in discussions
• Work collaboratively in teams
• Read academic papers effectively
• Communicate ideas effectively in writing, using appropriate wording and structure
• Work independently
• Plan and manage time and workload to meet deadlines