Intercultural Literacies
What will I learn from this course?
Intercultural Literacies is about what happens when people from different cultural, linguistic, and professional backgrounds try to communicate with each other – and why it doesn’t always go quite as expected. Why don’t people always say what they mean? Why is one person’s ‘constructive feedback’ interpreted as blunt criticism by another? How can we communicate effectively when lives are at stake?
On this time, you will work through situations where something has gone wrong in a cross-cultural encounter, and try to understand – analytically and practically – what happened and how the situation could be positively resolved. Whether you are interested in business and law, media and journalism, the public sector, linguistics, anthropology, or psychology, this course helps you to identify, put a name to, and find solutions to situations of conflict, misunderstanding, and crisis.
In addition, you will also have the opportunity to learn and practice a crucial skill: the interview. Being equipped to conduct an interview in a way that is culturally sensitive and ethically attuned is both a crucial research skill for future dissertations, and a valuable skill in many different professions.
By the end of the course, you will have a theoretical vocabulary for analysing intercultural communication, practical experience of navigating it under pressure, and the ability to reflect critically on your own assumptions.
When will this course be available?
Semester 2, 2026
How many credits is this course?
20 credits
What is the course code?
The course code is LIBARTS1002. More information on how to enrol can be found on the registration webpages.
What unique learning experiences will I have on this course?
This course is the only undergraduate course at Glasgow to focus on developing intercultural skills across the curriculum.
The course operates through paired sessions. In the first session, you will study a theoretical framework, analysing and applying it to case studies from fiction, films, and TV. In the second session, you will stress-test that theoretical framework in a group simulation based around a crisis situation. The scenarios are drawn from a wide range of professional contexts, ranging from humanitarian aid to business negotiations, international diplomacy to media coverage. You will be assigned a role and will be examining documents including emails, meeting notes, and field reports.
Your assessments give you the chance to hone your analytical skills, learn and put into practice a new research methodology (the interview), and to reflect on what you have learnt, the skills that you have acquired, and how these might benefit you in your future career.
How will I be assessed on this course?
|
Sequence |
Assessment type (drop down menu) |
Group or Individual Assessment |
Weighting (indicate % or Pass/Fail |
|
Formative |
Draft interview questions |
Individual |
0 |
|
Summative |
7 minute presentation |
Individual |
20 |
|
Summative |
Interview Plan |
Individual |
30 |
|
Summative |
Reflective commentary |
Individual |
50 |
Who is the course leader?
Dr Maddie Chalmers is leading this course.