Category: Uncategorized

13-Apr-21 Zaina Cummins, London Harrah, Regina Merrill

You are a college student from Italy, enrolled in a U.S. university. Your roommate in the international dorm is from England. You like to invite classmates to visit you in your room. Your roommate does not approve of the visitors and does not seem interested in forming a friendship. You are wondering how you will last through the year.

• What communication barriers are evident in this scenario?

1. 1. 1. In this situation, communication barriers that are evident are that you invite the classmate to join you, but they decline. This may seem very rude because in Italy we like to talk and be social with our peers. The student from England may have a presumption of you as an Italian or may just not be a social person which, if not communicated, could lead to a misunderstanding. 

• What cultural factors may be related to the barrier(s)?

1. 1. 1. There are many instances in which this particular situation may seem culturally inappropriate to either or party involved. For example, it may be considered rude or disrespectful to allow others to invite someone to not only your personal space, but your home, without a proper invitation. One party may find it completely unacceptable to allow a stranger into their personal world without any knowledge or warning. This could be a barrier between building bonds and friendships in one culture, but can be completely fine in the other. In my opinion, if I were the roommate who did not approve or have any knowledge of visitors coming over to my home, I would find it rude and disrespectful considering there is more than one person that lives here. You must consider the feelings and boundaries that your “roommate” may have despite if you find what you are doing to be acceptable. 

• How might the barrier(s) impact relationships? Team functioning? Workplace productivity?

1. 1. 1. The cultural barrier between the students will likely surface early in their relationship given that they live together. Different cultural backgrounds and social habits will cause conflict if they do not openly communicate with one another about their preferences and expectations. This may affect the roommates’ ability to form a relationship with one another, and the student from Italy may feel as if they cannot make friends to the extent that they would like by feeling uncomfortable when inviting other students over. This added stress could also weigh heavily on each student, causing disruptions that also affect their schoolwork and productivity. 

• What specific behaviors could help decrease or remove the barrier(s)?

1. 1. I think if the student from England would have taken the time to explain his reasoning for declining the invite, rather than just declining, it would have given the student from Italy a better understanding as to why they would rather not. I also think that presumptions were made beforehand by both parties. If both parties went into this situation open minded, they would have been open to understanding the other person. If both parties also openly discussed their social preferences and expectations rather than making assumptions, it could also prevent conflict.

 

Based on the readings from this week and last, it is clear that we typically change the way we  speak, act, and dress based on specific localized contexts. 

In the workplace we tend to use language that is considered more “professional.” We all agreed that when we first start working at a new job, in the beginning we have presented ourselves in the most professional manner that we could, but as time went by and we got more comfortable we began to be more relaxed and ourselves in the workplace. 

In Julia’s experience, her former company’s encouragement to “bring your full self to work” felt more like lip service than an actual ideology. For example, a group of interns from diverse backgrounds and sexual orientations were chastised for being too loud and too boisterous in the workplace, where superiors said it was “unprofessional” to act in this way. Also, the company did not seem very accepting of different sexual orientations, as many superiors made assumptions about the genders of employee’s partners. Although companies often encourage employees to “bring their authentic selves to work,” they often don’t like what they see. This contributes to the dominant culture of what is the “right” and “wrong” ways to behave in corporate settings in the U.S.

From Marty’s perspective, in Norway it is not considered rude to use informal language in the workplace. In most workplaces it is also acceptable to wear informal clothes, and in Marty’s experience she has never had any dress codes to comply to. Group work is also highly encouraged, and Marty believes that an informal and open workplace enables the staff to work more efficiently, although it might be very difficult for Norwegian workers to adapt to new workplaces abroad. Coming to America, Marty’s colleagues are much more polite and my managers will more often emphasize their appreciation for the work done, for us being there etc. And although this it is very effective to feel that your work is getting noticed and credited for, it is a very foreign concept to receive so much flattery in the workplace for me.

https://innocenceproject.org  

1. What is the Project about?

The innocence project’s mission is to free the staggering number of innocent people who remain incarcerated, and to bring reform to the system responsible for their unjust imprisonment. They do a  number of things that including: exonerating those who have been wrongly convicted, provide support for exonerees post release and help pass laws that prevent wrongful convictions.

1. How are they helping with cultural empowerment?
   1. Within the African American Culture is is common to find not only a high rate of this specific group of people convicted of crimes, but some are also wrongly convicted. Statistics show that African Americans have the highest possibility of being wrongfully convicted of crimes. The Innocence Project assists with allowing these silenced truths to be heard and brings families back together. 

1. Can a philanthropy solve the problem they are addressing? If so, explain.

If not, what else needs to happen?

They can contribute to the problem, but the legal and the justice department also need to step in to enable a greater solution. Their policy department work towards the implementation of laws and policies, which is a great way to both educate and support people suffering from injustice. 

 

What country does this saying originate from? This culture has derived from old Navy traditions.

-What is the message being communicated? What assumptions does saying carry (or not)? This language communicates an identity of a specific culture. This culture brings the people together by creating a unique language that will differentiate them from normal society. 

-What value could this message be supporting? In what ways  can (or can’t) this expression be confusing for people from other cultures? This language could be 

Hedd

But but it’s not only only (directly translated from Norwegian) – its not that easy to do, can be a minor 

“Harry” (directly translated from Norwegian) – something is weird or look stupid

London

SCUTTLEBUTT – The Navy term for water fountain

BULKHEAD – The wall   

Regina

Lipstick on a pig

This phrase originated in America in the 20th’s v.

Under the weather

Campaign: Navalny and people protesting the current government/regime. Free Navalny. 

Free.navalny.com, #свободунавальному

Goal: Get people to attend a massive protest in September, distributed across many cities in Russia. Ultimately to Free Navalny from prison and show how many people do not agree with current regime.

Call-to-Action: Show up in the streets on September 5th to protest the current regime.

Effectiveness: So far very effective because they are building awareness and recruiting more protesters. There is public outrage that is building momentum towards a tangible action.  

Did it create change? Will see, TBD

London Harrah, Briana Verdugo, Mohammad Qasem

-How does Asian rhetoric emerge out of the backdrop of “spectacle of racism” as Pham & Ono call it? In what ways do parody and pop culture open spaces for racialized communities to create real political force that effectuates change?

In response to the mimicry and mockery that is associated with “spectacle of racism” Asian rhetoric finds an authentic voice. The fight against the false and faulty narratives that other cultures put upon Asian Americans creates a space for a true identity to emerge. People tend to find ways to downplay racism as a joke or less serious than it is because they are engaging with a community that they are a part of. 

Parody used in conjunction with the popularity of pop culture definitely has the potential to create a real political force of change due to the catching comedy that people can relate to. There are many entertainers who utilize this method of creating change by bringing up the topic, but overly joking about it which will make it memorable, but also will promote how wrong or inaccurate that stereotype is. Mocking people in order to receive attention is also a way of using parody to create change on a matter. 

London Harrah, Mohammad Qasem, Buke Bicaker

 

Choosing the radio to get the message out to the people was the most effective way to reach the community due to their lack of other media outlet platform.

Minga used the cultural rhetorics by using certain terminology, common indigenous terms and dialects, local metaphors,  tone and other techniques which assisted in bridging the gap within the community.

Getting people involved within the community to get together and talk about the human rights and social justice acts. We could use the radio platform to organize meetings at designated locations where they could broadcast the discussions that is no one way conversations and they will be able to respond and ask questions and other people in the community listening could hear the response.

London Harrah, Neha Harve, Briana Verdugo

As a communicator across cultures we agreed that it was important to understand that it will be a challenge to go against the grain and go against tradition in order to bring change. For example, a person growing up in a predominately African American community will not understand if someone like them were partaking in activities that they as a culture don’t normally do such as snowboarding. It takes a lot for one to be comfortable being oneself, but the reward reaped will be worth the risk because it will break the chains that are restricting people from seeing their potential.

Acknowledging the privilege that one may feel as a communicator is something that brings awareness to the privileged people in the community. It if you are the one in the room who doesn’t feel that you have to conform to the environment then it is important to bring to attention to that privileged group of people which will create just change just as the groups that are challenged, but still striving to bring change.

Talking circles of Native Americans is a great method that could be used by communities by communicating stories with one another and creating an awareness of both perspectives. This will give an understanding to both communities whether challenged or privileged.

London Harrah, Marianna Adgemian, Rachel Williams

Why would rhetorical studies or dominant patterns of communication be Eurocentric, mostly influenced by Greek and Roman Perspectives? What contribution could have been made by other less accounted for non-Western civilizations?

• • Throughout history, the Greek and Roman perspective has been continued throughout the time because they were the people who absolutely dominated that era. The methods that they used during those time periods to control people and maintain that dominance were so effective that they completely stripped cultures and mindsets from people, causing them to assimilate. This has influenced the methods of implementing control by religion and colonization which is why the European religions and lifestyle is still strong in society today.
  • There are many contributions made by non-Western such as the Native Americans when the Europeans first arrived on the land. The Europeans struggled to survive on the land and looked to the Native Americans who have been living there for many years previous and have figured out their own system and way of life that work. Once the Native Americans taught the Europeans their ways, they decided to use the majority of their systems to create a government of their own.

 

Hello everyone!

My name is London Harrah. I was born and raised Fresno California. After high school I joined the military and was able to travel the world while serving my country during my 8 years of service. My job designation in the military was an Aviation Boatswain-mate Equipment who work on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier launching and recovering aircraft. But 5 of the 8 years serving I was assigned to the Air Traffic Control tower on the USS Carl Vinson. Upon the end of my contract I went back to school and got my BA at San Jose State University in Communications. I got my Private Pilot License at JB Aeronautics at Fresno International Airport and I am now attending the University of San Francisco pursing my MA in Professional Communication.

I also have an 11 year old son who means the world to me. There is no bond closer than the one my son and I share and that is my pure motivator for everything that achieve in life.

I plan on continuing my flight school to become a Professional Pilot working for a major airline upon completion of my training while also teaching communications at the university level. Raising my son, flying, and sharing my knowledge are two things I am most passionate about and I am dedicated to achieving my goals while maintaining good health and a happy soul.