Bachelor
2023/2024
Understanding Russians: Contexts of Intercultural Communication
Type:
Elective course (Journalism)
Area of studies:
Journalism
Delivered by:
Institute of Media
When:
3 year, 3 module
Mode of studies:
distance learning
Online hours:
40
Open to:
students of one campus
Instructors:
Ivan Knyazev
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
3
Contact hours:
6
Course Syllabus
Abstract
Online course “Understanding Russians: Contexts of Intercultural Communications“; we will look at the cases when basic cultural values of Russians show up through the linguistic choices shaping language production which is consequently misattributed by Western partners. No matter what the language of intercultural communication is – Russian, or English – the meaning of many linguistic expressions may be reconstructed wrongly by the representatives of another culture. Some of the basic questions we will tackle are: • What are the concepts of culture that have the strongest influence on communication? • What are Russian basic cultural values and how they shape modern Russian consciousness? • What are the specific communication patterns of modern Russians, including those of public and electronic discourse? • What is important to know about communication with Russians in organizational contexts? Importantly, this course is NOT just a list of practical instructions of dos and don’ts of dealing with Russians. The course contains a substantial academic component introducing the key notions and concepts of the Theory of Communication, which will be extensively introduced throughout the first few modules of the course. These theoretical grounds will be further on used as a tool for analyzing the intercultural communications with Russians.
Learning Objectives
- The purpose of the course is to provide the students with a broad overview of the basic principles governing the past, the present and the future interactions between Russia and the West, with a focus on the culture and national psychology of Russians and Western Europeans.
Expected Learning Outcomes
- Apply the knowledge of interrelations between different contexts of communication (cultural, institutional, professional, social, interpersonal, etc.) to the cultural history and national psychology of Russians.
- Build skills in the analysis of the intercultural communication process using Russian-Western communication as an example.
Course Contents
- Intercultural Communication as an Academic Discipline
- Culture in Intercultural Communication
- Theory of Communication
- Culture’s Impact on Communication: Politeness
- Communication in Organizational Contexts
- Social Stratification and Occupational Cultures in Russia
- Interpersonal Communication
- Culture as a Narrative
Bibliography
Recommended Core Bibliography
- Scollon, R., Jones, R. H., & Scollon, S. W. (2011). Intercultural Communication : A Discourse Approach (Vol. 3rd ed). Hoboken: Wiley-Blackwell. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=471145
- Spencer-Oatey, H., & Kotthoff, H. (2007). Handbook of Intercultural Communication. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=247550
Recommended Additional Bibliography
- Ferri, G. (2018). Intercultural Communication : Critical Approaches and Future Challenges. Cham, Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1709221
- Gill, G. J., & Young, J. (2012). Routledge Handbook of Russian Politics and Society. London: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=441639
- Schwartz, S. H. (2012). An Overview of the Schwartz Theory of Basic Values. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.16E8E559
- Wierzbicka, A. (2015). Russian cultural scripts: The theory of cultural scripts and its applications. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.12DC4E52