Communication and Culture - Chinese Perspectives (7,5hp)

 

Aiming at practical as well as theoretical insights this course explores the relations between communication, culture and technology by examining intercultural communication from a contemporary Chinese perspective. Stress will be put on key features of Chinese verbal and non-verbal communication, as well as social and cultural factors influencing these, ranging from traditional value systems and patterns of interaction to new media technology trends and contextualised politics.

A number of case studies documenting everyday events and phenomena, e.g., "food and eating", "persuasion and face-saving", and "propaganda and slogans", will be used to reflect both on practical and theoretical issues pertaining to communication and culture. The course will help students develop an understanding of basic theoretical concepts in communication and culture, and skills to apply these for interpretation and analysis of intercultural learning and communication, while also problematising some often (mis)used notions such as "East and West", "Chinese values" and "cultural differences".

The course, which is also open to students registered at other universities, such as HHS, KI and SU, consists of lectures and seminars given by professors Gong Wenxiang and Guan Shijie, School of Journalism and Communication, Peking University. The course requires active participation in seminars, short reaction papers, and a final essay of about 2.000 words.

Course leader is Björn Kjellgren (KTH/SU)

Course dates: May 6 (introduction); May 8, 11, 13, 15, 18, 20, 25 (lectures and seminars). All classes meet between 9.00-12.00 at Lindstedtsvägen 3, 6th floor (CSC/KTH).

The last day for applications is May 4. Send applications and questions about registration to Christer Lie (CSC/KTH)

Course outline and reading list

Course outline, reading list, grading criteria

Powerpoint presentations

Session 1 (Guan)
Session 2 (Guan)
Session 3 (Guan)
Session 4 (Guan)
Session 5 (Gong)
Session 6 (Gong)
Session 7 (Gong)

PS: What about Sweden and Swedes?

The course literature does not deal with Swedes. For those who are interested, two slightly old but still readable books on that subject are:

Swedish mentality (1996) by Åke Daun

Swedes as others see them (1991) by Jean Phillips-Martinsson

These two books are also available in Swedish.