ATS2199 Intercultural encounters: Communication, misunderstandings and conflict resolution

Negotiating difference is an increasingly important skill in private and public life. As the context of work and life become more complex, well-developed cultural intelligence and intercultural competence will enable students to work effectively in diverse settings.

This intensive unit prepares students to become more culturally literate and sensitive by giving them the skills to reflect upon and recognise intercultural differences in a range of settings. Through field-based problems as well as engagement with core cultural and communication theories and practices, students will learn to recognise their own cultural values and biases, improve their intercultural communication skills and manage conflicts. They will develop tools and strategies to reflect and resolve potential conflicts and misunderstandings, and to efficiently adjust themselves to diverse environments.

Teaching modules could include: 1) cultures and your place in the world; 2) facilitating intercultural communication; 3) ethics and moralities across cultures; 4) intercultural conflict resolution and 5) applied intercultural competence. Assessments will involve peer exercises, case studies, analysis of space and communication, case study exercises on critically interpreting and improving public organisation messages to diverse populations.  They will reflect upon their own cross-cultural interactions and problem-based scenarios to apply the skills they acquire.