Intercultural Communication in Europe

The program gives the students a look at the three countries- Germany, Hungary and Czech Republic- and allows for intercultural exposure that is relevant to their academic success and individual self-development.

The program explores the ways in which cultures and communication interrelate and influence each other. We will investigate how and why intercultural communication is filled with both challenges and opportunities. Intercultural communication is grounded within key social, historical, global, political, organizational, and interpersonal contexts that shape our individual interactions with people from different cultures in terms of nationality, race and ethnicity, class, sex and gender, sexuality, abilities, immigration status, and so forth.

The program also explores ethnography as a method for conducting communication research. Students will learn and apply ethnographic research methods to the study of monuments, museums and public memorials in Eastern Europe. They will apply ethnographic research methods to investigate the cultural significance of museums and monuments in Berlin, Prague, and Budapest. Class sessions are divided into a review of content, followed by a skills workshop focusing on one of the critical skills in ethnography: 1) developing research questions, 2) writing field notes and analytical memos, 3) interviewing, and 4) data analysis. The readings and instruction develop an
understanding of the ethics and rigor of ethnographic research methods, while the time spent abroad allows students to apply what they’ve learned to produce new knowledge about people, places, and historical discourse.