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1
Chapter 1: Studying Intercultural Communication
Chapter 1
Studying Intercultural Communication
Study Objectives
After studying the material in this chapter, students should be able to accomplish the following
objectives.
1. Describe the peace imperative for studying intercultural communication.
2. Identify and describe the economic and technological imperatives for studying intercultural
communication.
3. Describe how the changing demographics in the United States and the changing worldwide
immigration patterns affect intercultural communication.
4. Explain how studying intercultural communication can lead to increased self-
understanding.
5. Understand the difference between a universalistic and relativist approach to the study of
ethics and intercultural communication.
6. Identify and describe characteristics of an ethical student of culture.
Key Terms
• Assimilable
• Class structure
• Cosmopolitans
• Cross-cultural trainers
• Demographics
• Diversity
• Enclaves
• Ethics
• Globalization
• Heterogeneous
• Immigration
• Maquiladoras
• Melting pot metaphor
• Relativist position
• Self-awareness
• Self-reflexivity
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Chapter 1: Studying Intercultural Communication
• Universalist position
Detailed Chapter Outline
I. Introduction
A child born today will be faced as an adult, almost daily, with problems of a global
interdependent nature, be it peace, food, the quality of life, inflation, or scarcity of resources.
He/she will be both an actor and a beneficiary or a victim in the total world fabric, and may
rightly ask: “Why was I not warned? Why was I not better educated? Why did my teachers not
tell me about these problems and indicate my behavior as a member of an interdependent human
race?”
• This quote from Robert Muller, known as “the father of global education” is as relevant
today as it was 30 years ago and underscores the importance of learning about the
interdependent world people live in. In addition to peace, food, the economy, and the
quality of life identified by Muller, climate change, terrorism, conflicts around the globe
require working across cultural differences to find solutions to these complex problems.
• Economics are one important force, but there are many other reasons that people come into
intercultural contact.
o Wars or other violent conflicts drive some people to leave their homelands to seek a
safer place to live.
o Natural disasters can drive people to other areas where they can rebuild their lives.
o Some people seek a better life somewhere else, or are driven by their own curiosity
to seek out and visit other parts of the world.
o People often fall in love and build families in another country.
• There are many reasons why one might want to learn more about intercultural
communication.
o Perhaps one wants to better serve a diverse clientele in one’s chosen occupation;
perhaps members of one’s extended family are from different races or religions, or
have physical abilities that one would like to understand better.
o Perhaps one wants to better understand the culturally diverse colleagues in one’s
workplace.
o Or perhaps one wants to learn more about the people one comes into contact with
through the Internet, or to learn more about the countries and cultures that are in the
daily news.
II. The Peace Imperative
• The key issue is whether or not individuals of different genders, ages, ethnicities, races,
languages, and religions peacefully coexist on the planet. According to the Center for
Systemic Peace, while conflict between national powers has decreased, societal wars
(conflict between groups within a country) have increased.
• The current trend is toward longer, more intra-national protracted conflicts where military
or material support is supplied by foreign powers—fighting “proxy wars”—to warring
groups.
• Some conflicts have to do with economic disparities and legacies of oppression, seen in the
racial and ethnic tensions in U.S. neighborhoods and recent conflicts between law
enforcement and some Black communities.
o Communication, especially facilitated dialogue, plays a key role in the peacebuilding
process.
o People need to remember that individuals often are born into and are caught up in
conflicts that they neither started nor chose and are impacted by larger societal
forces.
III. The Economic Imperative
• One can see tremendous changes in the workplace in coming years, and knowing about
intercultural communication is strategically important for U.S. businesses in the emerging
transnational economy.
A. The Workplace
• Given the growing cultural diversity in the United States, businesses necessarily must
be more attentive to diversity issues. As the workforce becomes more diverse, many
businesses are seeking to capitalize on these differences: “Once organizations learn to
adopt an inclusive orientation in dealing with their members, this will also have a
positive impact on how they look at their customer base, how they develop products and
assess business opportunities, and how they relate to their communities.”
o Benefiting from cultural differences in the workplace involves not only working
with diverse employees and employers but also seeing new business markets,
developing new products for differing cultural contexts, and marketing products in
culturally appropriate and effective ways.
B. The Global Economy
• Businesses all around the world are continually expanding into overseas markets in a
process of globalization.
o Some economists defend globalization by saying that the losses are always offset
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Chapter 1: Studying Intercultural Communication
by the gains in consumer prices but many workers who have lost jobs in the recent
past and seen wages stagnate aren’t so sure.
o The world economy has been volatile and seemingly shrinking in recent years.
The economic powerhouse, China, has seen disastrous economic trends with a
plummeting stock market, housing crises, and a manufacturing slowdown, and its
slowest growth since 1990.
• The point is that to compete effectively in this shrinking global market, Americans must
understand how business is conducted in other countries and how to negotiate deals that
are advantageous to the U.S. economy.
• Moving operations overseas to take advantage of lower labor costs has far-reaching
implications for corporations. One example is the maquiladoras—foreign-owned plants
that use domestic labor—just across the U.S.–Mexican border.
• To help bridge the cultural gap, many companies employ cross-cultural trainers, who
assist people going abroad by giving them information about and strategies for dealing
with cultural differences.
IV. The Technological Imperative
• Communication technology is a constant. People are linked by technology to events in the
most remote parts of the world and also to people that they may never meet face-to-face.
• It is possible not only to communicate with other people but also to develop complex
relationships with them through such technology.
A. Technology and Human Communication
• The extent of global connection and communication through social network sites is
staggering. These networking sites are often available in multiple languages and enable
users to connect with friends or people across geographical, political, or economic
borders.
• The effect of social media like Facebook and Twitter have far-reaching consequences,
and it is important to understand that these technologies can have positive and negative
impacts on intercultural encounters.
o For example, by using Twitter and Facebook, people were able to receive up-to-
the-minute information and connect with friends and family in the immediate
aftermath of the devastating Japanese tsunami in January 2011. On the other hand,
people may feel like they are too dependent on social media and suffer from
FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), checking their phone many times a day to see if
they have messages or if there are new posts to Facebook that they have to see.
• Technology has increased the frequency with which many people encounter
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Chapter 1: Studying Intercultural Communication
multilingual situations; they must decide which language will be used.
o Digital translation apps like Google Translate, Universal Translator, and
iTranslate can facilitate communication for travelers and business people and
others in everyday intercultural encounters.
• Social media and other interactive media also give people the opportunity to stay in
contact with people who are very similar to themselves, with family members, friends,
and others who share common interests. However, the social media can also provide a
venue for like-minded people to promote prejudice and hatred.
V. The Demographic Imperative
• Demographics refers to the general characteristics of a given population. As shown by the
2000 and 2010 U.S. Census data, the demographics of the United States are changing
dramatically. These changes come from two sources: changing demographics within the
United States and changing immigration patterns.
A. Changing U.S. Demographics
• According to the U.S. Population Reference Bureau, the nation’s Hispanic and Asian
populations are expected to triple by 2050, while non-Hispanic Whites are expected to
grow more slowly to represent about one-half of the nation’s population.
• Another interesting projection involves the “multiracial” category, partly due to the
increasing numbers of interracial couples. The 2000 Census was the first that allowed
persons to categorize themselves as being of “two or more races.”
• The most recent statistics released from the 2010 Census shows that the projections for
increasing diversity are right on target—reflecting dramatic changes in the ethnic and
racial makeup of the United States. In fact, the nation is moving a step closer to a
demographic milestone in which no group commands a majority, already true in 317
counties in four states (California, Hawaii, New Mexico, and Texas) and the District of
Columbia with Nevada, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, and Maryland approaching this
milestone.
• Overall, the integration of new workers with the current ones will provide both
opportunities and challenges for American businesses, as well as for the country as a
whole.
B. Changing Immigration Patterns
• The second source of demographic change is immigration. There are two contradictory
faces to the story of immigration in the United States. The United States often is
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Chapter 1: Studying Intercultural Communication
Martin, Experiencing Intercultural Communication, 6e
described as a nation of immigrants, but it is also a nation that established itself by
subjugating the original inhabitants of the land and that prospered economically while
forcibly importing millions of Africans to perform slave labor.
• Immigrants tend to settle in particular areas of the country. They are more likely to live
in the western part of the United States and more likely to live in the central locations of
metropolitan areas, adding to the diversity of these areas. These immigration changes,
along with increasing domestic diversity clearly show that the United States is
becoming more heterogeneous (diverse).
• Tensions among different racial and ethnic groups, as well as fear on the part of
politically dominant groups, must be acknowledged. However, intercultural conflict is
not necessarily a consequence of diversity. Intercultural encounters in certain types of
conditions can lead to very positive outcomes, including reduced prejudice and positive
intergroup relationships.
o Diverse college campuses, for example, can provide opportunities for the type of
intercultural contact in which intercultural friendships can flourish—opportunities
for extensive contact in a variety of formal and informal settings that promote
communication and foster relationship development.
• The United States has always been a nation of immigrants. When Europeans began
arriving on the shores of the New World, an estimated 8 to 10 million Native Americans
were already living here. The outcome of the encounters between these groups—the
colonizing Europeans and the native peoples—is well known.
• African Americans are a special case in the history of U.S. immigration because they
were brought to this country involuntarily. Some Europeans and Asians also arrived in
the country as indentured or contract labor. However, by the middle of the seventeenth
century this system of indenture was stopped because it was not economically viable for
farmers and did not solve the problem of chronic labor shortage.
o Historically, slavery presented a moral dilemma for many Whites, but today a
common response is to ignore history. Many Whites say that because not all
Whites owned slaves people should simply forget it and move on. For most
African Americans, however, this is unacceptable.
• Relationships between residents and immigrants—between old-timers and
newcomers—often have been contentious. In 1887, Congress passed the Dawes
Severalty Act, terminating Native Americans’ special relationship with the U.S.
government and paving the way for the removal of Native Americans from their land.
o In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, an anti-immigrant, nativistic
movement promoted violence against newer immigrants. The anti-immigrant,
nativistic sentiment was well supported at the government level as well. By the
1930s, immigrants from southern and eastern Europe were considered
assimilable, or able to become members of White American society, and the
concept of race assumed new meaning.
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Martin, Experiencing Intercultural Communication, 6e
• Economic conditions make a big difference in attitudes toward foreign workers and
immigration policies. Thus, during the Great Depression of the 1930s, Mexicans and
Mexican Americans were forced to return to Mexico to free up jobs for White
Americans. When prosperity returned in the 1940s, Mexicans were welcomed back as a
source of cheap labor. In recent years, many businesses as well as the government
favored a “guest worker program” with Mexico—which would allow Mexican workers
to temporarily reside in the United States.
• Ethnic and race relations in the United States are impacted by specific events and the
economic climate. Some of the conflict may be due to the economic disparity that exists
among these different groups. Most Americans are reluctant to admit that a class
structure exists, let alone admit how difficult it is to move up in this structure. Studies
have shown that U.S. Americans seriously underestimate the gap between the rich and
not rich.
o This widening gap is partly due to the loss of stable industrial jobs as companies
move to cheaper labor markets within the United States and abroad, and slow
recovery from the recession with wages remaining low.
• Increasingly diverse groups mostly come in contact during the day in schools,
businesses, and hospitals, but they bring different languages, histories, and economic
backgrounds to these encounters. This presents a challenge for the society and for the
people as individuals to look beyond the Hollywood stereotypes, to be aware of this
diversity, and to apply what they know about intercultural communication. Perhaps the
first step is to realize that the melting pot metaphor—in which all immigrants enter
and blend into American society—probably was never viable.
• Fortunately, most individuals are able to negotiate day-to-day activities in schools,
businesses, and other settings in spite of cultural differences. Diversity can even be a
positive force.
VI. The Self-Awareness Imperative
• One of the most important reasons for studying intercultural communication is to gain an
awareness of one’s own cultural identity and background. This self-awareness is one of
the least obvious reasons. Peter Adler, a noted social psychologist, observes that the study
of intercultural communication begins as a journey into another culture and reality and
ends as a journey into one’s own culture.
• Self-awareness, then, that comes through intercultural learning may involve an increased
awareness of being caught up in political, economic, and historical systems.
VII. The Ethical Imperative
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Chapter 1: Studying Intercultural Communication
Martin, Experiencing Intercultural Communication, 6e
• Ethics may be thought of as principles of conduct that help govern the behavior of
individuals and groups.
A. Ethical Judgments and Cultural Values
• Ethical judgments focus more on the degrees of rightness and wrongness in human
behavior than do cultural values. Some judgments are stated very explicitly. For
example, the Ten Commandments teach that it is wrong to steal, tell a lie, commit
murder, and so on.
o Many Americans are taught the “Golden Rule”—do unto others as you would
have them do unto you. Many other identifiable principles arise from cultural
experience that may be less explicit—for example, that people should be treated
equally and that they should work hard.
• Ethical principles are often culture-bound, and intercultural conflicts arise from varying
notions of what constitutes ethical behavior. According to the universalist position, one
needs to identify the rules that apply across cultures. A universalist might try, for
example, to identify acts and conditions that most societies think of as wrong, such as
murder, treason, and theft.
• By contrast, according to the relativist position, any cultural behavior can be judged
only within the cultural context in which it occurs. This means that only a community
can truly judge the ethics of its members.
• Philosopher Kwame Appiah discusses how the misplaced belief of “my values are the
only right ones” can lead to intolerance, cruelty, and even murder by both Christians
and Muslim fundamentalists (e.g., bombings of abortion clinics or other buildings). He
addresses the difficult question of how people can maintain universal values and still
respect cultural distinctness. His answer is that people must become cosmopolitans—
citizens of the world—taking seriously the value of not just human life, but particular
human life, but particular human life, never forgetting that each human being has
responsibilities to every other.
B. Becoming an Ethical Student of Culture
• Part of learning about intercultural communication is learning about cultural patterns
and identities. Four skills are important here: practicing self-reflexivity, learning about
others, listening to the voices of others, and developing a sense of social justice.
o Self-reflexivity refers to the process by which people “look in the mirror” to see
themselves. In studying intercultural communication, people must understand
themselves and their position in society.
o When people learn about other cultures and cultural practices, they often learn
much about themselves as well. And the knowledge gained from experience is an
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Chapter 1: Studying Intercultural Communication
important way to learn about intercultural communication.
o When considering ethical issues in intercultural communication, people need to
recognize the strengths and limitations of their own intercultural experiences.
Many immigrants have observed that they never felt so much like someone of
their nationality until they left their homeland. As part of the process of self-
reflexivity, when people gain more intercultural experiences, their views on ethics
may change.
o It is important to remember that the study of cultures is actually the study of other
people. One must never lose sight of the humanity of the topic of study and try not
to observe people as if they are zoo animals.
o Hearing about the experiences of people who are different can lead to different
ways of viewing the world. Many differences—based on race, gender, sexual
orientation, nationality, ethnicity, age, and so on—deeply affect the everyday lives
of people. Listening carefully as people relate their experiences and their
knowledge helps them learn about other cultures.
o A final ethical issue involves the responsibility that comes with the acquisition of
intercultural knowledge and insights.
VIII. Building Intercultural Skills
• The following are a few general skills that can be applied to the various aspects of
intercultural communication: (1) understanding cultural identity and history, (2) improving
verbal and nonverbal communication, (3) understanding the role of popular culture in
intercultural communication, and (4) building relationships and resolving conflicts.
• It is important to remember that becoming a better intercultural communicator is not
achieved quickly but rather is a lifelong process.
Discussion Questions
1. How do electronic means of communication (e-mail, Twitter, Facebook, instant messaging,
and so on) differ from face-to-face interaction? How might these differences affect
intercultural communication?
2. How does the increased mobility of our society affect us as individuals? How does it affect
the way we form relationships?
3. What are some of the challenges that organizations face as they become more diverse?
4. How might organizations benefit from increased diversity in the workplace? How might
individuals benefit?
5. What is the potential impact of the “Digital Divide” on intercultural communication?
6. How do economic situations affect intergroup relations?
7. What roles do ethics play in intercultural communication?
Martin, Experiencing Intercultural Communication, 6e
8. Why are some immigrant groups subjected to prejudice while others are not?
9. How can we apply what we learn about intercultural communication in an ethical way?
10. How has technology changed your relationships with friends, family, and others?
11. How can learning about intercultural communication reinforce the peace imperative?
12. Why would intercultural awareness lead to a concern for social justice?
13. Which of the four skills important to becoming an ethical student of culture seems the most
important to you? Why?
Classroom Exercises and Chapter Activities
1. Introduction Exercise: At the beginning of the course, it is useful to provide opportunities
for the students to become familiar with one another so that they will feel more
comfortable contributing to class discussions. This exercise can be facilitated by dividing
students into pairs. Each student has five minutes to play the role of interviewer and five
minutes to be interviewed. At the end of ten minutes, the student pairs take turns
introducing each other to the class. The following questions are useful in becoming
acquainted with students and the repertoire of cultural experiences they bring to class:
• Where did you grow up?
• What other languages besides English do you speak?
• What areas outside the United States have you visited?
• Have you lived outside of the United States? Where?
• What was one intercultural experience you have had?
• What was one ritual your family practiced as you were growing up?
• Explain something about your name. What does it mean? Where did it come from?
Were you named after someone?
• Why are you taking this class?
• Would you like to live in another country? Why?
The length of time needed for this exercise depends on the class size and the number of
questions you suggest to the students and whether you decide to let other students ask
questions of the person being introduced. Typically, 10 to 15 minutes are provided for the
interviews; you can alert students when it is time to switch from being the interviewer to
the interviewee. The oral introductions average about 2 to 3 minutes per pair. If you need
to cut down on the time allotted for the oral introductions, limit the students to reporting
four or five things they learned about their partners.
2. Intercultural Issues Exercise: Use this activity to increase student awareness of the impact
and prevalence of the imperatives (for example, technological, demographic) described in
this chapter. You need an edition (if the class size is large, multiple editions may be used)
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of a fairly large local newspaper.
Divide the class into groups of two to four individuals, and give each group a section of the
newspaper with articles of some type (for example, local, state, national, international,
sports, or business). Then assign the groups of students to skim through their sections of
the paper for articles that report on issues related to the imperatives. One member of the
group should record on a piece of paper the number of articles found for each imperative
and write a brief description of the subject of each article. You may want to show them one
or two examples from another paper/edition.
Students will need 10 to 20 minutes to work as groups, unless their assigned sections are
small. When they have finished, record on the board the number of articles found by each
group for each imperative. After tallying the total in each column, ask students to discuss
why there were more articles concerning some initiatives than others (were there any
precipitating events that generated more articles?) and to share examples of some of the
articles.
An alternative to this exercise would be to ask the students to search articles or media
stories for themselves and bring them to class. The groups can then examine and decide
which example is the most relevant.
3. Local Immigration Assignment: The focus of this assignment is on familiarizing students
with the way immigration patterns may have affected their own communities. Assign
students to research the communities in which they grew up or currently live to discover
some of the immigrant groups that have moved to their communities and explore why they
came. This assignment may be given as an individual project or as a group project.
Potential information sources include state or local historical societies, reference librarians
at local libraries, tourist information bureaus, chambers of commerce, local historians, their
own family histories, and longtime residents of the community. Students can compile the
information in a written or oral presentation form. The following questions can guide their
research:
• What ethnic background or countries are exemplified in your community?
• What ethnic backgrounds or countries do the majority of the people in your
community come from?
• Give reasons why people from different ethnic backgrounds or countries came to
your community? How did these people influence the community?
• Give the visible evidence of the cultures of these people in your community today
(celebrations, traditions, or architecture)?
• Were there huge groups of people from different ethnic backgrounds or countries
who came to the community and have since left? Why did they do so?
Martin, Experiencing Intercultural Communication, 6e
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4. Video Assignment: Students may select a video to watch that depicts the experiences of
immigration to the United States for a particular ethnic group or individual. After they have
watched the video, ask them to describe the immigration experience highlighting the
following aspects:
• Factors that influenced the group or individual to move to the United States
• The primary challenges this group or individual faced in trying to get along in the
United States and their reactions to such challenges.
• Presence or absence of people or events that aided the group or individual
The films listed below are only a few of many excellent films on immigration.
A Day Without a Mexican (2004): One third of the population of California are Latinos,
Hispanics, and Mexicans. How would it affect life for the state’s other residents if this
population was not there? This is a “mockumentary” to show the valuable contributions
made every day by Latinos.
El Norte (1983): In this video, the Guatemalan army discovers Mayan Indian peasants
hoping to rise above their label of “brazos fuertes” or “strong arms” (manual laborers),
have begun to organize themselves. As a counter attack, the army massacres their families
and destroys their village to give the new recruits no options but to follow and obey the
army. However, two uneducated teenage siblings manage to survive and are firm about
their escape to the United States or El Norte. Finally, they make their way to L.A.
The Joy Luck Club (1993): This is a story of four Chinese women who immigrated to the
United States and their first-generation daughters. The video shows the death of one
women. Her daughter begins to really learn what her mother endured in China and of her
sisters who were left behind while playing Mahjong with the older women.
Goodbye Solo (2008): This film is touching and humorous. The video shows a struggling
cab driver from Senegal and his unlikely friendship with a southern man with secrets.
The Visitor (2007): This video shows the story of a lonely economics professor from
Connecticut whose life changes forever (and for the better) when he finds a couple of
illegals, who happen to be living in his New York apartment.
Under the Same Moon (2007): This video is a heartwarming story about a mother who
leaves Mexico to make a home for herself and her son (Adrian Alonso). When the boy’s
grandmother dies, leaving him alone, he sets off on his own to find his mother.
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Martin, Experiencing Intercultural Communication, 6e
Sentenced Home (2007): This documentary shows three Cambodian American men, who
were brought as children by their refugee families to the United States. These three kids
were raised in the grim public housing of Seattle. Bad choices by them as teens altered
their lives forever. After the implementation of the immigration laws post 9/11 provided no
second chances for such children. Though they were raised in the United States, speak to
one another in English, and even think in English, each is sentenced to return to
Cambodia—indefinitely separated from their families.
Forging a Nation (2007): In this video, director David Blaustein retraced the phases of his
Jewish ancestors accompanied by his mother and an extended family. The film is an
exploration of the many factors and people that joined to build Argentina.
The Namesake (2006): The video shows a first-generation son of traditional, Indian
immigrant parents. In the event of trying to make a place for himself, he is surprised by the
things he learns about his family and himself.
5. Assessing Cultural Behavior/Ethics Exercise: This activity is designed to help students
begin to explore their personal ethics and the challenges created by viewing intercultural
communication in a relativistic rather than a universalistic manner. Be prepared to discuss
difficult issues that may arise during this activity and to help students view ethics within a
more complex framework by applying the guidelines in this chapter.
For this exercise, ask students to find an ethical issue from a news broadcast, a newspaper
article, or the Internet. Instruct them to come prepared to describe the issue and the ethical
challenge or dilemma it poses. Challenge students to describe the position from a
relativistic and then from a universalist perspective.
Once all the students have presented their issues (in a large class, they could do this in
dyads or small groups), ask them to describe ways in which ethical intercultural
communicators would handle these dilemmas using the guidelines in this chapter.
Reinforce to students that many ethical issues are difficult and that the guidelines for
ethical communication are challenging to use. Therefore, it is important to listen patiently
to each other and then help each other sort out the issues by asking questions like the ones
suggested in the following hypothetical example.
Example: Suppose a student chose the debate over the requirement of bilingual education
formats for new immigrants versus the requirement that all courses be taught in Standard
English in public schools. The ethical issues raised in this debate may include what it
means to be an “American,” the history of language acquisition and immigration, language,
whether students will be more disadvantaged by being put into English emersion versus
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bilingual classes, and the message that is being communicated to speakers of other
languages in the United States. You might then encourage students to apply the ethical
guidelines in their thinking by asking them the following questions:
• How can teaching in another language and standard English help us respect others?
• Can we practice self-reflexivity by striving to see the value of being bilingual and/or
bicultural from our own and another’s point of view?
• What can we learn about others by listening to those who have a viewpoint different
from our own?
6. Early Experiences With Cultural Differences: This introductory activity is useful for
helping students explore their initial experiences with diversity. Ask students to write a
one-page essay about their recollection of the first time they were aware of meeting
someone different when compared to themselves. This difference could be related to
culture, religion, physical disability, ethnicity, or economic class. In their essays, students
should answer the following questions:
• How did they meet the person? What were the circumstances?
• What made them aware that this person was different?
• How did they react?
• Was the interaction positive, negative, or neutral?
• Did they tell anyone about the interaction, and what was that person’s reaction?
• How has this first interaction affected future interactions with persons from the same
group?
7. Cultural Artifacts Exercise: To encourage students to become more aware of their own
cultural backgrounds and to emphasize the hidden nature of culture, ask them to bring to
class an article or object from home that they believe exemplifies their cultural background
and its values. During class, the students (if a large class, have them do this in small
groups) can “show and tell” their object and explain how the article is representative of
their culture’s values and beliefs.
8. Cultural Bingo Warm-Up: This is a fun and active way for students to meet and begin to
develop relationships with one another. Provide each student with a list or a grid with
boxes next to 10 to 15 statements (the number will depend on how many students are
participating and the amount of time you want to use). You may want to choose questions
that will help identify some of the diversity existing among the students. For example, find
someone with some or all of the following qualities:
• Speaks a language other than English
• In love
• A dog owner
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Martin, Experiencing Intercultural Communication, 6e
• A cat owner
• Wants to be a rock star
• Was born in a country other than the United States
• Has parents who speak more than one language
• Has seen a foreign movie
• Knows what Bollywood is
• Has studied abroad
Have students move around the room asking each other these questions until they find
someone who can answer one affirmatively. That person puts his or her initials in the box
or next to the question. This game continues until a student gets all the questions answered
or until the instructor determines the game is over. The student who gets the most
questions initialed wins. This activity can be debriefed by asking students the following
questions:
• How did the winner (or others) get so many questions answered?
• What assumptions did you make about the others so as not to waste time asking
questions a person could not answer “yes” to?
• Did you learn anything surprising while doing this activity?
• What types of diversity exist among the members of this class?
Note: If time is limited or it is not feasible for students to move around the room, you can
use this exercise with the entire class at the same time. Simply read statements, and have
students raise their hands or stand if the item describes them. This approach will still give
students an opportunity to learn about one another.
Suggested Videos
1. The Amish: Not to Be Modern (Produced by V. Larimore & M. Taylor and Filmmakers
Library: distributed by Modem Educational Video Network, 1992, 57 minutes)
This film depicts features of the Amish community and examines how their religious
beliefs provide the backdrop for their lifestyle choices.
2. The Asianization of America (Produced by WNET /Thirteen; Films for the Humanities,
Princeton, 1993, 26 minutes)
This film depicts the role played by Asians in American society and business.
3. Becoming American (Produced by WNET /Thirteen, IRIS Films, and K. Levine & I. W.
Levine; distributed by New Day Films, Franklin Lakes, NJ, 1983, 30 minutes)
This video relates the immigration experience of a Hmong refugee family to the United
16
Chapter 1: Studying Intercultural Communication
Martin, Experiencing Intercultural Communication, 6e
States and shows some of the obstacles they encountered.
4. The Immigrant Experience: 1900–1940 (Distributed by Films for the Humanities,
Princeton, 2000, 29 minutes)
This ABC News program is anchored by Peter Jennings. It narrates the story of the
transformation of America into an absolute multicultural nation. These include the
transformation from ethnic neighborhoods of New York to the black migration to northern
cities during the Great Depression. Also discussed in this video are incidents of racism
spurred by the terror tactics of the Ku Klux Klan and the fears of World War II that
prompted the forced internment of 120,000 Japanese Americans.
5. Immigration: Who Has Access to the American Dream? (Distributed by Films for the
Humanities, Princeton, 28 minutes)
This program examines the important questions surrounding current U.S. immigration. The
video examines issues from the perspective of those seeking entry and the organizations
assisting them. Interviewees in this video include an immigrant from Kenya, an
immigration judge, and the owner of a New York City Deli from Korea.
6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOrQAu4o3Js&feature=related
7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQKOd2Fp8QU&feature=related
8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fys3MsKMpms&feature=related
9. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_U56MhTJgaTPWP2m1n-RUr8AL1wM1vMk
10. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cza4D-6vaUM
11. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-19481773
