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Intercultural communication 
Session 1:
Towards a dynamic and multi-faceted approach 
to understanding culture
Learning journal

Except where otherwise noted, the content contained in this document is licensed under a 
Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License v 4.0. 
The work is attributable to: 
Project Team „ Edubox Intercultural communication “ / HOOU

Content / Tasks

1.1	Prelude
	Case “On the way to the cafeteria”	
	Case "Exchanging business cards"	
	Case “Being a good student”	
1.2	Introduction
1.3	A narrow and an expanded concept of culture
1.4	An open vs closed concept of culture
	Case “Where do you come from?”	
	Find your own example	
	The “Fridays for Future” movement	
1.5	Summary
1.6	Learning review
	Case “On the way to the cafeteria” (Reprise)	
	Case “Exchanging business cards” (Reprise)	
	Case “Being a good student”	
1.7	Sources, further reading and web links

► 1.1 Prelude
	Case “On the way to the cafeteria”	
What might be reasons for Tom’s disappointment with his friend’s behaviour?
	
What could the gesture of helping his friend out with 3 Euro have meant to him?
	
Why might Christian be adamant about paying back the money?
	
What might friendship mean to Tom and Christian?
	
What could be cultural about their behaviour and perception?

	Case “Exchanging business cards”	
What could be possible interpretations as to why Janina behaves the way she does?
	
What could be possible interpretations as to why Seo-jun behaves the way he does?
	
What might Janina be thinking?
	
What is cultural about interpretations and thinking patterns?

	Case “Being a good student”	
What is Jane’s guiding behaviour?
	
What might be reasons for the lecturer to behave the way he does?
	
What might the lecturer be thinking about Jane?
	
How does Jane feel about the lecturer?
	
What could be cultural about the encounter?
	
► 1.4 An open versus closed concept of culture
	Case: “Where do you come from?”	
Use the model of the closed and open concept of culture to explain the confusion and misunderstandings. In doing so consider: ‘What are the indications that suggest the lecturer based their question on a closed, container type thinking and conception of culture? 

	Find your own example	
Think about an example where an ‘either/or’ AND ‘both/and’ perspective could have supported a more differentiated view and note this down. 

	The “Fridays for Future” movement	
Read the short excerpt and answer the following questions:
To which other collectives those who support the movement ‘Fridays for Future’ might belong? 
	
Which interests could these groups have in the movement? 

► 1.6 Learning review
	Case “On the way to the cafeteria” (Reprise)	
If Tom had been living in Germany for a longer time and had experienced that Christian's behaviour is not a singular case but that the majority of his friends here behaved like Christian, how might this influence his thinking and behaviour?
	
If you look into the answer above, which of the ideas we discussed within the concept of open culture is it based on?

	Case “Exchanging business cards” (Reprise)	
Let us review the answers you gave to the questions in the beginning of this session. When you guessed the interpretations of Seo-jun's and Janina's behaviour, were they based on an open or closed concept of culture?
	
What could be the danger of viewing this case solely from a closed-concept perspective?

	Case “Being a good student” (Reprise)	
To review some of the principles we discussed in this session, let us take another look at your answer to question 2 from the first series of questions about this case in the prelude ("What might be reasons for the lecturer to behave the way he does?") Knowing now about the open concept of culture, would you change your answer?
	
How can this answer help Jane in this situation?