Intercultural Communication Institute

SIIC 2009 Description

1b | Foundations of Intercultural Communication

This workshop is a sophisticated introduction to concepts of intercultural communication and their application to a wide range of professional contexts.

Designed for
Teachers, trainers, internal and external consultants, and others concerned with intercultural relations who have had little or no formal contact with the intercultural field.

Objectives
Participants will have the opportunity to:

Examine the basic assumptions and issues of intercultural communication and cross-cultural human relations in both domestic and global contexts
Review basic intercultural topics, including perception, cultural patterns of thinking and behavior, styles of communication, assumptions and values, and cultural adaptation
Explore the ways in which an intercultural approach can be applied to their personal and professional lives, including corporate, educational, and other organizational contexts
Review resources available for further study of the subject

Learning Activities
These will include:

Simulations and other experiential activities to demonstrate how cultural differences impact cross-cultural contacts
Video to illustrate concepts and provide case study applications
Short lecture and discussion to clarify concepts and applications
Reflection on the place of an interculturalist in professional endeavors

Faculty:

Margaret Pusch and Jaime Wurzel

Margaret D. (Peggy) Pusch is associate director of the Intercultural Communication Institute, executive director of SIETAR USA, and an active trainer in the U.S. and Europe. She co-founded and was president of Intercultural Press, Inc. Her recent publications include “Intercultural Training in Historical Perspective,” for the 3rd edition of the Handbook of Intercultural Training, and Culture Matters: An International Educational Perspective, with Jeanine Hermanns. She has been president of NAFSA: Association of International Educators and SIETAR USA, and is currently chair of the board of trustees of the International Partnership for Service-Learning and Leadership, and a member of the board of directors of the Association for International Practical Training. In 2005 she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from SIETAR Europa and the Optime Merens de Collegis award from SIETAR USA.

Dr. Jaime Wurzel is an associate professor of education at Salem State College, Massachusetts. He was born in Bolivia and has lived, studied, and lectured in many other countries in Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East. Jaime edited Toward Multiculturalism: Readings in Multicultural Education. He trains and consults on issues of cultural variation and diversity, including serving as the content consultant and writer for The Multicultural Workplace, a PBS television program and video. Jaime has also produced two instructional videos, A Different Place: The Intercultural Classroom and The Cross-Cultural Conference Room, and an interactive CD-ROM, Dimensions in Intercultural Relations.