Different cultures have differences in their ways and norms of communicating. Perhaps this difference is a language (Cantonese vs. Putonghua), or politeness norms (using honorifics and surnames versus first names), or nonverbal communication (bowing as a greeting). In seeking to understand these differences, we may encounter popular explanations about communicative behavior that generalize about groups and see these generalizations manifested in stereotypes in advertisements, films, and news. While (briefly) examining some of these popular accounts, this course focuses on intercultural communication from a critical sociolinguistics perspective. We will try to answer questions such as ‘What are the groups or social structures associated with particular cultures?’, ‘How is culture invoked in different contexts?’, ‘Who is advantaged and who is disadvantaged when culturally different ways of communicating come in to contact?’, and ‘Why?’ We will cover multiple contexts where intercultural communication has been studied, including travel, education, business, health, marketing, and romance. Early in the course, students will participate in an intercultural (broadly defined) interaction of their choice, document and reflect upon it in a short essay. At the end of the course, students will complete a research project of their choosing, analyzing intercultural communication as it interests/impacts them.
- Academic and popular approaches to intercultural communication
- Culture, language, and nation
- Multilingualism
- Intercultural communication in education, business, tourism, and romance
The course when taught in person consists of two-hour interactive lectures and activities. You are expected to complete readings every week in preparation for the lectures.
On successfully completing the course, students will be able to:
- Engage in an intercultural interaction and reflect on the experience
- Develop a broad and in-depth understanding of intercultural communication and its genealogy
- Examine and appraise the differences between popular and scholarly engagements with intercultural communication
- Critically engage with academic writing on intercultural communication
- Recognize when and how culture is invoked in communication
- Conduct research in intercultural communication in an area of interest
Participation and contribution including activities for some weeks 10%
Attendance at intercultural activity and reflection 20%
Multiple choice quiz, based on main class text 30%
Outline for research project 10%
ICC research project 30%
100%
Ingrid Piller. (2025). Intercultural Communication: A Critical Introduction. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Students should read the online version on the HKU library website or purchase the hardcopy (available through multiple online platforms such as Book Depository or Amazon).
Other readings will be given during the course and either made available on Moodle or freely downloadable from HKU Library E-resources.