Cultivating the sensitivity, skills and understanding necessary to managing cultural differences is imperative to one's ability to function effectively and ethically in a diverse and global workplace, city, and world.
This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to exploring intercultural issues and theory (ethnographic, sociological, psychological, historical and cultural). It aims to develop a deeper understanding of managing intercultural differences in general, with specific emphasis on the cultural differences between the French and the diverse cultures participating in this class. Students will study and analyze the impact of culture and identity in everyday life, and the ways in which culture interrelates with and affects communication processes.
We will examine the process of integration, the stages of cultural adjustment and the acquisition of intercultural sensitivity and skills. This course will look at broadly French life-styles, customs, values and culture, as well as, recent social trends in France. Finally, beyond understanding cultural differences, the focus of this course is equally on cultivating awareness of one's own cultural background and identity. Course conducted in English.

Course Objectives:

• Through immersion in France, fieldwork, class activities and selected readings, this course is designed to help students cultivate:
• Awareness of the constructed nature of cultural difference, identity, culture and civilizations and the dynamics that arise.
• Cultural self-awareness about one's own cultural limitations and assumptions in an increasingly intercultural world and deepened awareness of similarities and differences between the home and target culture.
• Recognition of cultural variables and familiarity with the communication norms, rituals, and taboos of other cultures.
• Sensitivity and proficiency in intercultural communication, adjusting to other cultures and managing cultural differences and culture shock.
• A holistic view of the French and their culture and a better sense of what it means to be French today.

Primary Course Activities:

• Case Studies (CS)
• Role Plays (RP)
• Group Discussions & Debates (GDD)
• Ethnographic Field Observations (EFR)

Assessment:
The final grade is comprised of:

• 30% Presence, Participation & Pertinence
• 35% Homework (Reaction Papers, Pre-Seminar readings & other work as assigned)
• 35% Ethnographic Field Observation Group Project & Peer Evaluation

Instructors:
Michelle Mielly and Jaclyn Rosebrook-Collignon
Selected Bibliography:

• Sixty Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong - Why we love France but not the French by Jean-Benoît Nadeau & Julie Barlow (Naperville: Sourcebooks Inc., 2003)
• Au Contraire! Figuring Out the French Gilles Asselin and Ruth Mastron (Yarmouth: Intercutural Press, Inc.,2001).
• French and Americans : The Other Shore, Pascal Baudry, Trans Jean-Louis Morhange (Paris: Village Mondial/Pearson Ed., 2004) http://www.pbaudry.com/ free e-book on-line
• Culture Matters, Peace Corps Cross Cultural Handbook, (Washington DC, US Governement Printing Office, ISBN 0-9644472-3-1) http://www.peacecorps.gov/library/pdf/T0087_culturematters.pdf
• Riding the Waves of Culture, Charles Hampden-Turner, Fons Trompenaars (New York, MacGraw Hill, 1998).
• French or Foe, Polly Platt (Culture Crossing, 3rd American Edition, 2003).
• Managing Across Cultures, Susan C. Schneider and Jean-Louis Barsoux, (London: Prentice Hall, 2003).