How can we meaningfully engage with other cultures? What roles can we play to bridge the spaces between communities and continents? Rising sophomores in the School of International Service, who live in the Interculturalist Sophomore Living-Learning Community, are a part of a cohort of students exploring the myriad ways culture influences who we are, what we think, and how we experience the world. Washington, DC is one of the most international cities in the world, serving as a perfect laboratory for all seeking to deepen their understanding of, and appreciation for, other cultures and themselves.

SISU-205 Intercultural Communication
Mondays, 11:20am-2:10pm

This course examines how globalization and our cultural upbringing shape who we are, how we see the world, and the ways in which we communicate with people across intergroup inequities and intercultural and/or international boundaries. Students explore verbal and nonverbal communication; the relationship between dominant cultures and subcultures; ethnic, racial, class, and other forms of diversity within countries and organizations; third-culture and multicultural persons; the dynamics of cross-cultural conflict, adjustment, adaptation; and the importance of flexible intercultural communication. Using the case study method, the course examines global case studies to explore specific topics, why culture matters, and the values and dynamics underpinning intercultural communication. AU Core Integrative Requirement: Diversity and Equity.