CMN 103
Intercultural Communication
Winter 2008
Dr. Daniel Makagon
Office: SAC 596
Office Hours: Monday 2:00-3:00 and
by appointment
Phone: (773) 325-7376
e-mail: dmakagon@depaul.edu
home page: http://condor.depaul.edu/~dmakagon/
Course Objectives
This
course explores relationships among communication, intercultural cohesion, and
intercultural conflict. We will consider the important role of context (social,
cultural, and historical) in intercultural interactions across a variety of
cultural groups (e.g., different nationalities, ethnicities, gender,
sexualities, classes, and subcultures). Questions about cultural experience and
meaning will primarily be located in everyday life, although we will connect
the everyday to broader social, political, and economic issues. This course should facilitate greater understanding of the
nuances of intercultural communication, enhancing self-reflection, flexibility,
and sensitivity.
Required Texts
All course readings are available
on-line. Download and print the files.
http://condor.depaul.edu/~dmakagon/student
Course Assignments
Class Participation (includes
intercultural context presentation) 10% ____(pts.) X .10 = ______
Analysis Paper (4-6 pages) 30% ____(pts.) X .30 = ______
Quizzes 30% ____(pts.) X .30 = ______
Final Paper (4-6 pages) 30% ____(pts.) X .30 = ______
Final Grade= ____________
You are
required to complete the reading assignments before you attend class. This will lead to more fruitful
discussion.
Analysis Paper
The Analysis Paper should be 4-6
double-spaced pages in length. This paper asks you to analyze an issue that
emerges for you based on your intellectual engagement with a set of readings.
You should advance an argument that intervenes creatively in the broader
conversation. While I want your paper to grow from a particular course reading,
your approach to the topic should reflect your own theoretical interests. Your
paper must make an argument. Merely summarizing a reading or stating that a
reading is correct (or incorrect) because it speaks (or doesn't speak) to your
own personal experience is not an argument. A complete description of the
assignment is contained in the writing handout/syllabus addendum in the folder
where you find our course readings.
This paper must be turned in no
later than seven days after we cover the reading (e.g., if you're writing about
Eric Klinenberg, "Dying Alone" then your paper
would be due January 26). The last date
to turn in this paper is February 18.
All papers must be typed,
paginated, and double-spaced throughout the entire essay. Use a consistent
style (e.g., Chicago, MLA, or APA), one-inch margins, and 12-point font. Do
not send me electronic copies of your work.
See the syllabus addendum (available in the folder that contains pdfs for this
class) for a description of my grading policies and expectations as well as
further details about written assignments.
Contact or visit the Writing
Center for assistance with your writing: Lincoln Park at 802 W. Belden, 150
McGaw Hall, 773-325-4272. The Loop at 25 E. Jackson, 1620 Lewis Center,
312-362-6726. wcenter@depaul.edu.
Pop Quizzes
Quizzes
will be short answer and will allow me to gauge how well you understand the
arguments made in the readings. Unlike your papers and class discussion, where
I am interested in your opinions about the issues and the strength of the
writer's argument(s), the quizzes are designed for you to state the author's
argument only. In other words, I am not striving to understand what you think
about the issues; rather, I am interested in how well you understand the
construction of the author's argument. If we do not understand what s/he's
saying then our critique of her/his work will not be properly grounded.
Possible points for each quiz question will be listed after the question
(usually 10 or 20 points per question and usually 1-3 questions per quiz).
Answers will be graded based on your ability to clearly summarize the author's
argument(s) and use examples from the reading to support your answer(s).
Final Paper
For
this paper you are asked to select three readings from the quarter from three
different sections and discuss the ways in which these three readings have
facilitated your increased understanding of intercultural communication. Your
essay should be 4-6 double-spaced pages in length. Papers are due March 16
by 1:00 at my LPC office or mailbox (5th Floor SAC). (A full description of the assignment is available in the
folder that contains pdfs for this class.)
Intercultural Context
The
goal of this assignment is to offer material examples of intercultural
practices and artifacts, allowing us to make connections between the realm of
theory and our everyday lives. Each class member will share one (1) cultural
artifact (song, clip from a film or TV show, excerpt from a newspaper, comic,
documentary sound recording, piece of clothing, etc.) during a class session.
Your presentation should explicitly address why and how the artifact connects
to intercultural communication. The presentation shouldn't take more than 2-3
minutes. Your artifact can connect directly to a course reading or you can
share something that reflects an intercultural context that is not covered in
class. Also note that the presentation is part of your class participation
grade. If you do not present then you cannot earn an "A" for your participation
grade. I will grade your presentation on a credit/no credit basis.
Presentations will occur on 1/28 and 2/16.
Course Policies
Attendance
and Active Participation are expected and
required. Participation grades are factored by considering how often you
participate in class discussion and how that discussion advances our overall
learning (i.e., I will consider how your questions help us understand difficult
passages, how your contributions further discussion rather than hinder
discussion, how your comments foster lively debate, how your participation
grows from an engagement with the reading and college experience rather than
functioning to advance an autobiographical tale only). If you miss very few
classes and your participation level is excellent, you can expect an "A" for
this portion of your grade. If you miss very few classes and your participation
level is above average (i.e., you participate every other class rather than
every class session), you can expect a "B" for this portion of your grade. If
you miss very few classes and your participation level is average, you can
expect a "C" for this portion of your grade. If you miss the most possible
classes you can miss without failing the class and your participation level is
average, you can expect a "D" for this portion of your grade.
Promptness is expected as a general rule. If you are consistently
late to class, your grade will be negatively affected.
You are
allowed one (1) unexcused absence in this class and three (3) absences total if
two or more of those absences are excused. If you miss more than three class
sessions, which means you will have missed 20% of the term, then you will
receive an "F' for the class (even if the absences are excused). Missing this
many class sessions undermines the integrity of the classroom experience. If
you miss this much class because of illness or a family emergency, you should
meet with the Dean of Students to discuss withdrawal options.
All
assignments are due on assigned days. There will be NO MAKE UPS. Documented illnesses or documented emergencies are the
only exception to this policy. Changes in work schedules, personal celebrations
(e.g., birthdays), or vacations are NOT considered to be legitimate reasons for
missing assignment deadlines or class meetings. If you miss a quiz and have
documentation for your absence then you will take the quiz on the next date you
attend class. Similarly, if you have an excused absence for a class session
when you would turn in a paper then you can give me the paper on the next date
you attend class. (Note: If you will be missing a class because of a religious
holiday, let me know in writing at least two weeks before the holiday so we can
make arrangements to make up missed work.)
Students
with disabilities should provide me with documentation from the Office of
Students with Disabilities.
Cellular Phones: If you have a cellular phone or pager, turn it off or set
it to vibrate, and keep it in your backpack or purse. All cell phones must be
put away during the class session. I will confiscate cellular phones for the
remainder of the class session if you are sending or reading text messages or
using your phone to check email/surf the Internet.
Written
Assignment Requirements: All papers should
be typed, double spaced, and use a consistent style (e.g., MLA, APA, etc.). Use
one-inch margins and 12-point font. Further details on written assignments can
be found in a syllabus addendum on writing academic papers.
You
must make sure your preferred email address listed in Campus Connect is correct
and make sure emails from me will pass through any spam blockers. I will only
send email to you from dmakagon@depaul.edu.
Plagiarism
I have often found that plagiarism
becomes tempting if students are feeling pressured. Remember, when in doubt
quote. If you are quoting someone else in your presentation, you need to clearly
identify the information as a quote and the source. Similarly, when paraphrasing,
you should clearly identify your source. If you are quoting somebody directly
in your paper then you need to list the information within quotation marks
and cite a page number. If you are paraphrasing then you need to cite the
person and a page number. Never copy and paste entire documents into your
paper and do not quote others to the point where your ideas become indistinguishable
from your source's ideas. There is no reason to plagiarize given the resources
available to you (e.g., opportunities to meet with me; coaches in the writing
center; my handout on writing for the class; and DePaul’s policy on
academic integrity, which can be found at http://studentaffairs.depaul.edu/).
If you do plagiarize, you will automatically receive a grade of "F"
in this class. Moreover, the Academic Affairs office will be contacted.
Grade Scale
93-100 A, 90-92 A-, 88-89 B+, 83-87 B, 80-82
B-, 78-79 C+, 73-77 C, 70-72 C-, 60-69
D, 0-59
F