COMMUNICATION AND GLOBAL SOCIETY

 

                                                COM 447 -- Fall 2002

 

Instructor:     Dr. Guo‑Ming Chen               

Office:            I206B‑2                                   

Office Phone: (401) 874‑4731                                  

Office Hour:  12:20 – 1:50pm TH and by appointment

Meeting Times: Quin219 – TH 2-3:15pm

E-mail: gchen@etal.uri.edu

URL: http://www.uri.edu/personal/gmchen

 

General Course Statement: The advent of a new era of telecommunications and human interconnection brings
with it questions of identity, community, the place of the individual in a globalizing society, the connectedness that
stems from the information superhighway, and the possibility that microcultures will soon be dissolved in a diffuse
macroculture. To become a productive and successful citizen in the future society is dependent on the ability of
individuals to frame global civic society as a matter of human communication choices and consequences. Thus,
this course aims to examine primary concerns about communication and globalization, such as the new sense of
community, dialectics of cultural identity and cultural diversity, the impact of global media, and citizenship in the
global society. After taking this course your are expected to be more aware of the relationship of communication
and global society, and further develop the ability of global communication competency that will help you better
adapt to the future life of human society.

 

Texts: Chen, G. M., & Starosta, W. J. (Eds.) (2000). Communication and global society. New York:
Peter Lang. (required)

Boulding, E. (1988). Building a global civic culture. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press. (required)

Herman, E. S., & McChesney, R. W. (1997). The global media. London: Cassell. (required)

Suggested Readings (see this syllabus)

 

Requirements: You are required to

1.                  attend and participate the class meetings

2.                  complete a paper, case study, and team presentation. (Details to be given)

3.                  complete a group presentation (details to be given).

4.                  complete the final examination.

 

Policies & Expectations:

1. You must attend class in order to participate in exercises and discussions.  If you miss more
 than two class meetings, you will lose attendance/participation course credit (points) as
follows:  2 points per class missed.

2.  All written assignments must be typed. Team presentation will be evaluated based on five elements:
how (the process of preparation), what (the content), style (the way you present yourself),
cooperation (between you and your teammate), and time (25-30 minutes). Group performance
will be evaluated based on the following elements: how (the process of preparation),
what (the content), style (how present yourself), cooperation (among group members),
costume, setting, and time (25-30 minutes).

 

Course Evaluation: Final grades will be cumulative and based on

1. Paper/Case Study                30%                   

2. Team Presentation               10%                  

3. Final exam                           30%

4. Group Performance             20%                  

5. Class Attendance                10%

 

*************************************************************************

SYLLABUS

 

Week 1 (9/4 –9/6)  -- Introduction to Course

 

Week 2 – 3 (9/9 – 9/20) -- Communication, Culture, and Globalization

Read: Chen: 1; Suggested Readings I

 

Week 4 – 5  (9/23 – 10/4) -- Communication and Global Media

Read: Chen: 6 - 10; Herman: 1 & 4; Suggested Readings II

 

Week 6 - 7 (10/7 – 10/18) -- Cultural Identity and Cultural Diversity

Read: Chen: 2, 3 & 4; Boulding: 4; Suggested Readings III

Midterm (10/17)

 

Week 8 – 9 (10/21 – 11/1) -- A New Sense of Community/Global Civic Society

Read: Boulding: 1; Suggested Readings IV

 

Week 9 – 10  (11/4 – 11/8) -- Global Citizenship

Read: Chen: 12, 14, & 15; Boulding: 7; Suggested Readings V

 

Week 11 – 12 (11/11 – 11/22) -- Global Communication Competency

Read: Chen: 11; Boulding: 5 & 6; Suggested Readings VI

Group Presentation

NCA Convention (11/21-24)

 

Week 13 – 14 (11/25 – 12/6) -- Global Communication Competency

Read: Chen: 11; Boulding: 5 & 6; Suggested Readings VI

Thanksgiving (11/28-12/1)

International Communication Convention in Taiwan (12/2-12/9)

         

Week 15 - 16 (12/9 -) -- Final Exam (12/20, Friday, 9:00-11:00am, Quin219)

 

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Suggested Readings (by Category)

 

I. Communication, Culture, and Globalization

 

Berger, P. L. (1997, Fall). Four faces of global cultures. The National Interest, 49, 23-29.
(culture & globalization)

Chan, J. M. (2002). Disneyfying and globalizing the Chinese legend Mulan: A study of transculturation.
In J. M. Chan & B. T. McIntyre (Eds.), In search of boundaries: Communication, nation-states
 and cultural identities
(pp. 225-248). Westport, CT: Ablex. (culture & globalization)

Crawford, C. J. (1997). Major trends in global communications. Vital Speeches of the Day, LXIII (17),
June 15, 538-541. (global communication)

Downing, H. D. H. (2002). Drawing a bead on global communication theories. In Y. R. Kamalipour (Ed.).
Global communication (pp. 21-34). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.  (global communication)

Featherstone, M. (1990). Global culture: An introduction. In M Featherstone (Ed.), Global culture:
Nationalism, globalization and modernity
(pp. 1-14). Newbury Park, CA: Sage. (culture & globalization)

Frederick, H. H. (1993). Global communication and international relations. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
 (Chap. 1: A Preview) (global communication).

Frederick, H. H. (1993). Global communication and international relations. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
(Chap. 7: Contending Theories of Global Communication). (global communication)

Frederick, H. H. (1993). Global communication and international relations. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
(Chap. 10:Global Communication as We Enter the 21st Century). (global communication)

Govindarajan, V., & Gupta, A. K (1997).  The changing global landscape [on line].  Available: http//www.bmgt.umd.edu/cib/wplist.htm/ (globalization)

Gupta, A. K., & Govindarajan, V. (1997).  Guest for global dominance: Building global presence [on line]. 
Available: http//www.bmgt.umd.edu/cib/wplist.htm/ (globalization)

McPhail, T. L. (2002). Global Communication: Theories, stakeholders, and trends. Boston, MA: Allyn and
Bacon. (Chap. 1: International Communication) (global communication)

Ogan, C. L. (2002). Communication and culture. In Y. R. Kamalipour (Ed.). Global communication
(pp. 207-228). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. (culture & globalization)

Palmer, A. (2002). Following the historical paths of global communication. In Y. R. Kamalipour (Ed.).
Global communication (pp. 1-20). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. (global communication)

Smith, A. D. (1990). Towards a global culture? Theory, Culture & Society, 7, 171-191. (global culture)

Stevenson, R. L. (1994). Global communication in the twenty-first century. New York: Longman.
(Chap. 1: The Context of Global Communication) (global communication)

Stock, G. (1993). Metaman: The merging of humans and machines into a global superorganism.
Toronto: Doubleday Canada. (Chap. 6: The Foundation for Our Future) (culture & globalization)

 

II. Communication and Global Media

 

Global Report (1999).  7. Technology and the knowledge-based society [on line].  Available: http//policyresearch.schoolnet.ca/keydocs/global/07techknow-e.htm. (media & globalization)

Harasim, L. M. (1993). Networlds: Networks as social space. In L. M. Harasim (Ed.), Global
networks: Computers and international communication
(pp. 15-34). Cambridge, MA: The MIT
Press. (media & globalization)

Harper, C. (2002). The new mass media. New York: Houghton Mifflin. (Chap. 1: The New Mass Media)
 (media & globalization)

Harper, C. (2002). The new mass media. New York: Houghton Mifflin. (Chap. 2: The Internet)
(media & globalization)

McPhail, T. L. (2002). Global Communication: Theories, stakeholders, and trends. Boston, MA:
Allyn and Bacon. (Chaps. 11: The Internet: Extending Global Media) (media & globalization)

 

III. Cultural Identity and Cultural Diversity

 

Chan, J. M., & McIntyre, B. T. (2002). Introduction. In J. M. Chan & B. T. McIntyre (Eds.),
In search of boundaries: Communication, nation-states and cultural identities (pp. Xiii – xxvi),
Westport, CT: Ablex.

Chen, G. M., & Starosta, W. J. (1998).  Foundations of intercultural communication.  Needham, MA:
Allyn & Bacon.  (Chap, 10: Cultural Diversity and Multiculturalism) (cultural diversity)

Collier, M. J. (2003). Understanding cultural identities in intercultural communication: A ten-step inventory.
In L. A. Samovar & R. E. Porter (Eds.), Intercultural communication: A reader (pp. 412-429).
Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. (cultural identity)

Friedman, J. (1994). Cultural identity and global process. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. (Chap. 7:
Globalization and Localization) (cultural identity & cultural diversity)

Hall, S. (1996). Introduction: Who needs ‘identity’? In S. Hall & P. Du Gay (Eds.), Questions of
cultural identity
(pp. 1-17) Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. (cultural identity)

Hannerz, U. (1990). Cosmopolitans and locals in world culture. Theory, Culture & Society, 7, 237-251.
(cultural identity & cultural diversity)

Kluge, H. (1997). Reflections on diversity: Cultural assumptions. Vital Speeches of the Day, LXIII (6),
January 1, 171-175. (cultural diversity)

Lie, R., & Servaes, J. (2000). Globalization: Consumption and identity. In G. Wang, J. Servaes, & A.
Goonasekera (Eds.), The new communications landscape: Demystifying media globalization (pp.
307-332), New York: Routledge. (cultural identity)

Sparks, C. (2000). The global, the local and the public sphere. In G. Wang, J. Servaes, & A. Goonasekera
(Eds.), The new communications landscape: Demystifying media globalization (pp. 74-95),
New York: Routledge. (cultural identity & cultural diversity)

 

IV. A New Sense of Community/Global Civic Society

 

Gaudiani, C. L. (1993). Developing global civic virtues: A challenge for the educated. . Vital Speeches
 of the Day, LX (1),
October 15, 31-32. (global civic culture)

Peck, M. S. (1992). The true meaning of community. In W. B. Gudykunst & Y. Y. Kim (Eds.),
Readings on communication with strangers (pp. 435-444). New York: McGraw-Hill.
(new sense of community)

Reuman, R. E. (1966). Walls. Wallingford, PE: Pendle Hill. (sense of community)

Shils, E. (1992). Civility and civil society. In E. C. Banfield (Ed.), Civility and citizenship in liberal
democratic societies
(pp. 1-15). New York: Paragon House. (global civic society)

 

V. Global Citizenship

 

Lynch, J. (1992). Education for citizenship in a multicutural society. London: Cassell. (Chap. 1:
Rationale for a New Paradigm of Citizenship) (global citizenship)

Lynch, J. (1992). Education for citizenship in a multicutural society. London: Cassell. (Chap. 2:
Reflecting and Planning - Citizenship) (global citizenship)

 

VI. Global Communication Competency

 

Chen, G. M. (personal manuscript). Global communication competency. (global communication
competency)

Chen, G. M., & Starosta, W. J. (1997).  A review of the concept of intercultural sensitivity. 
Human Communication, 1, 1-16.
. (global communication competency)

Chen, G. M., & Starosta, W. J. (1998-9).  A review of the concept of intercultural awareness. 
Human Communication, 2, 27-54.
. (global communication competency)

Chen, G. M., & Starosta, W. J. (2000). The development and validation of the intercultural sensitivity
scale. Human Communication, 3, 1-15. (global communication competency)

Gupta, A. K., & Govindarajan, V. (1997).  Creating a global mindset [on line].  Available: http//www.bmgt.umd.edu/cib/wplist.htm/. (global communication competency)

Morgan, G. (1988). Riding the waves of change: Developing managerial competencies for a
 turbulent world
. San Francisco, CA: Jossy-Bass. (Chap. 1: Emerging Waves and Challenges:
The Need for New Competencies and Mindsets)
(global communication competency)

Rhinesmith, H. S. (1992, October).  Global mindsets for global managers.  Training and Development,
63-68.
(global communication competency)

Rhinesmith, H. S. (1995, May).  Open door to a global minset.  Training and Development, 35-43.
(global communication competency)

Rhinesmith, H. S. (1996).  Going global (Chapter 1).  In Rhinesmith H. S., A manager’s guide to
globalization: Six skills for success in a changing world (pp. 3-21).  Chicago, IL: Irwin.
(global communication competency)

 

*****************************************************************************

Suggested Readings (by Author)

 

Berger, P. L. (1997, Fall). Four faces of global cultures. The National Interest, 49, 23-29. (culture &
globalization)

Chan, J. M. (2002). Disneyfying and globalizing the Chinese legend Mulan: A study of transculturation.
 In J. M. Chan & B. T. McIntyre (Eds.), In search of boundaries: Communication, nation-states
and cultural identities
(pp. 225-248). Westport, CT: Ablex. (culture & globalization)

Chan, J. M., & McIntyre, B. T. (2002). Introduction. In J. M. Chan & B. T. McIntyre (Eds.), In search
of boundaries: Communication, nation-states and cultural identities
(pp. Xiii – xxvi), Westport, CT: Ablex.

Chen, G. M. (personal manuscript). Global communication competency. (global communication competency)

Chen, G. M., & Starosta, W. J. (1997).  A review of the concept of intercultural sensitivity.  Human
Communication, 1
, 1-16.
. (global communication competency)

Chen, G. M., & Starosta, W. J. (1998).  Foundations of intercultural communication.  Needham, MA:
Allyn & Bacon.  (Chap, 10: Cultural Diversity and Multiculturalism) (cultural diversity)

Chen, G. M., & Starosta, W. J. (1998-9).  A review of the concept of intercultural awareness.  Human
Communication, 2
, 27-54.
. (global communication competency)

Chen, G. M., & Starosta, W. J. (2000). The development and validation of the intercultural sensitivity scale. Human Communication, 3, 1-15. (global communication competency)

Collier, M. J. (2003). Understanding cultural identities in intercultural communication: A ten-step inventory. In
L. A. Samovar & R. E. Porter (Eds.), Intercultural communication: A reader (pp. 412-429). Belmont,
CA: Wadsworth. (cultural identity)

Crawford, C. J. (1997). Major trends in global communications. Vital Speeches of the Day, LXIII (17),
 
June 15, 538-541. (global communication)

Downing, H. D. H. (2002). Drawing a bead on global communication theories. In Y. R. Kamalipour (Ed.).
Global communication (pp. 21-34). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.  (global communication)

Featherstone, M. (1990). Global culture: An introduction. In M Featherstone (Ed.), Global culture: Nationalism,
globalization and modernity
(pp. 1-14). Newbury Park, CA: Sage. (culture & globalization)

Frederick, H. H. (1993). Global communication and international relations. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
(Chap. 1: A Preview) (global communication).

Frederick, H. H. (1993). Global communication and international relations. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
(Chap. 7: Contending Theories of Global Communication). (global communication)

Frederick, H. H. (1993). Global communication and international relations. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
(Chap. 10:Global Communication as We Enter the 21st Century). (global communication)

Friedman, J. (1994). Cultural identity and global process. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. (Chap. 7:
Globalization and Localization) (cultural identity & cultural diversity)

Gaudiani, C. L. (1993). Developing global civic virtues: A challenge for the educated. . Vital Speeches
of the Day, LX (1),
October 15, 31-32. (global civic culture)

Global Report (1999).  7. Technology and the knowledge-based society [on line].  Available: http//policyresearch.schoolnet.ca/keydocs/global/07techknow-e.htm. (media & globalization)

Govindarajan, V., & Gupta, A. K (1997).  The changing global landscape [on line].  Available: http//www.bmgt.umd.edu/cib/wplist.htm/ (globalization)

Gupta, A. K., & Govindarajan, V. (1997).  Guest for global dominance: Building global presence
 
[on line].  Available: http//www.bmgt.umd.edu/cib/wplist.htm/ (globalization)

Gupta, A. K., & Govindarajan, V. (1997).  Creating a global mindset [on line].  Available: http//www.bmgt.umd.edu/cib/wplist.htm/. (global communication competency)

Hall, S. (1996). Introduction: Who needs ‘identity’? In S. Hall & P. Du Gay (Eds.), Questions of
cultural identity
(pp. 1-17) Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. (cultural identity)

Hannerz, U. (1990). Cosmopolitans and locals in world culture. Theory, Culture & Society, 7,
 237-251. (cultural identity & cultural diversity)

Harasim, L. M. (1993). Networlds: Networks as social space. In L. M. Harasim (Ed.), Global networks:
Computers and international communication
(pp. 15-34). Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
(media & globalization)

Harper, C. (2002). The new mass media. New York: Houghton Mifflin. (Chap. 1: The New Mass Media)
(media & globalization)

Harper, C. (2002). The new mass media. New York: Houghton Mifflin. (Chap. 2: The Internet) (media &
globalization)

Kluge, H. (1997). Reflections on diversity: Cultural assumptions. Vital Speeches of the Day, LXIII (6),
 
January 1, 171-175. (cultural diversity)

Lie, R., & Servaes, J. (2000). Globalization: Consumption and identity. In G. Wang, J. Servaes, & A.
Goonasekera (Eds.), The new communications landscape: Demystifying media globalization
 
(pp. 307-332), New York: Routledge. (cultural identity)

Lynch, J. (1992). Education for citizenship in a multicutural society. London: Cassell. (Chap. 1: Rationale
for a New Paradigm of Citizenship) (global citizenship)

Lynch, J. (1992). Education for citizenship in a multicutural society. London: Cassell. (Chap. 2: Reflecting
and Planning - Citizenship) (global citizenship)

McPhail, T. L. (2002). Global Communication: Theories, stakeholders, and trends. Boston, MA: Allyn
and Bacon. (Chap. 1: International Communication) (global communication)

McPhail, T. L. (2002). Global Communication: Theories, stakeholders, and trends. Boston, MA: Allyn
and Bacon. (Chaps. 11: The Internet: Extending Global Media) ((media & globalization)

Morgan, G. (1988). Riding the waves of change: Developing managerial competencies for a turbulent
world
. San Francisco, CA: Jossy-Bass. (Chap. 1: Emerging Waves and Challenges: The Need for New
Competencies and Mindsets)
(global communication competency)

Ogan, C. L. (2002). Communication and culture. In Y. R. Kamalipour (Ed.). Global communication
(pp. 207-228). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. (culture & globalization)

Palmer, A. (2002). Following the historical paths of global communication. In Y. R. Kamalipour (Ed.).
Global communication (pp. 1-20). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. (global communication)

Peck, M. S. (1992). The true meaning of community. In W. B. Gudykunst & Y. Y. Kim (Eds.), Readings
on communication with strangers
(pp. 435-444). New York: McGraw-Hill. (new sense of community)

Reuman, R. E. (1966). Walls. Wallingford, PE: Pendle Hill. (sense of community)

Rhinesmith, H. S. (1992, October).  Global mindsets for global managers.  Training and Development,
63-68.
(global communication competency)

Rhinesmith, H. S. (1995, May).  Open door to a global minset. Training and Development, 35-43.
(global communication competency)

Rhinesmith, H. S. (1996).  Going global (Chapter 1).  In Rhinesmith H. S., A manager’s guide to globalization:
 Six skills for success in a changing world (pp. 3-21).  Chicago, IL: Irwin.
(global communication competency)

Shils, E. (1992). Civility and civil society. In E. C. Banfield (Ed.), Civility and citizenship in liberal democratic
societies
(pp. 1-15). New York: Paragon House. (global civic society)

Smith, A. D. (1990). Towards a global culture? Theory, Culture & Society, 7, 171-191. (global culture)

Sparks, C. (2000). The global, the local and the public sphere. In G. Wang, J. Servaes, & A. Goonasekera
(Eds.), The new communications landscape: Demystifying media globalization (pp. 74-95), New
York: Routledge. (cultural identity & cultural diversity)

Stevenson, R. L. (1994). Global communication in the twenty-first century. New York: Longman.
(Chap. 1: The Context of Global Communication) (global communication)

Stock, G. (1993). Metaman: The merging of humans and machines into a global superorganism.
Toronto: Doubleday Canada. (Chap. 6: The Foundation for Our Future) (culture & globalization)

 

*****************************************************************


Evaluation Form for Case Presentation

 

 

Name:                                                              Date:

 

How:         Poor      1      2      3      4      5      6      7      8      9      10       Excellent

 

What:        Poor       1      2      3      4      5      6      7      8      9      10       Excellent

 

Style:         Poor       1      2      3      4      5      6      7      8      9      10       Excellent

 

Coop:        Poor       1      2      3      4      5      6      7      8      9      10       Excellent

 

Time:        Poor       1      2      3      4      5      6      7      8      9      10       Excellent

 

 

 

 

**************************************************************

 

 

Evaluation Form for Group Presentation

 

 

Name:                                                              Date:

 

How:         Poor      1      2      3      4      5      6      7      8      9      10       Excellent

 

What:        Poor       1      2      3      4      5      6      7      8      9      10       Excellent

 

Style:         Poor       1      2      3      4      5      6      7      8      9      10       Excellent

 

Coop:        Poor       1      2      3      4      5      6      7      8      9      10       Excellent

 

Costu:       Poor       1      2      3      4      5      6      7      8      9      10       Excellent

 

Settin:       Poor       1      2      3      4      5      6      7      8      9      10       Excellent

 

Time:        Poor       1      2      3      4      5      6      7      8      9      10       Excellent