Negotiating Chinese Culture – Writing Intensive

3 credits

CHINSE-3400W

Chinese
College of Arts and Science

As political, business, religious, and personal encounters between Chinese and Americans increase, so also does the need for competence in negotiating these cross-cultural interactions. Whether hosting Chinese guests, visiting China for business or as a scholar, or simply trying to understand current events, a clear understanding of cultural differences and similarities can be quite valuable. Students will be introduced to multiple perspectives on American and Chinese cultural differences along with narratives of cross-cultural experiences. Course address issues related to American and Chinese cross-cultural communication in five spheres of interaction: political, religious, business, interpersonal, education. Through related readings, discussions, and structured conversations with Chinese, students will explore how this information and a deeper understanding of Chinese and American culture can be applied to more fruitful and positive cross-cultural interactions in multiple contexts. Prerequisites: sophomore standing.