Understanding Russians: Contexts of Intercultural Communication

About this course: In the course “Understanding Russians: Contexts of Intercultural Communications": we will: 1) Build skills in the analysis of the intercultural communication process using Russian-Western communication as an example. 2) Apply the knowledge of interrelations between different contexts of communication (cultural, institutional, professional, social, interpersonal, etc.) to the cultural history and national psychology of Russians. The purpose of the course is to provide the students with a broad overview of the basic principles governing the past, the present and the future interactions between Russia and the West, with a focus on the culture and national psychology of Russians and Western Europeans. For example, we will look at the cases when basic cultural values of Russians show up through the linguistic choices shaping language production which is consequently misattributed by Western partners. No matter what the language of intercultural communication is – Russian, or English – the meaning of many linguistic expressions may be reconstructed wrongly by the representatives of another culture. Some of the basic questions we will tackle are: • What are the concepts of culture that have the strongest influence on communication? • What are Russian basic cultural values and how they shape modern Russian consciousness? • What are the specific communication patterns of modern Russians, including those of public and electronic discourse? • What is important to know about communication with Russians in organizational contexts? Importantly, this course is NOT just a list of practical instructions of dos and don’ts of dealing with Russians. The course contains a substantial academic component introducing the key notions and concepts of the Theory of Communication, which will be extensively introduced throughout the first few modules of the course. These theoretical grounds will be further on used as a tool for analyzing the intercultural communications with Russians.

Who is this class for: We are looking for students who are curious to learn about how to deal with Russians, those who want to make sense of their personal encounters with Others. Love for the Russian culture and language is a plus, but not obligatory. You may be required to integrate your current expertise of the humanities and social sciences with the intercultural approach to communication. Intercultural sensitivity is a pre-requisite for taking this course and enhancing it is its goal.

Created by:  Higher School of Economics

• Taught by:  Mira Bergelson, Professor

  Philological Faculty

Commitment 8 weeks, 3-4 hours/week Language English How To Pass Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. User Ratings 4.5 stars Average User Rating 4.5See what learners said 課程作業

每門課程都像是一本互動的教科書，具有預先錄製的視頻、測驗和項目。

來自同學的幫助

與其他成千上萬的學生相聯繫，對想法進行辯論，討論課程材料，並尋求幫助來掌握概念。

證書

獲得正式認證的作業，並與朋友、同事和雇主分享您的成功。

Higher School of Economics National Research University - Higher School of Economics (HSE) is one of the top research universities in Russia. Established in 1992 to promote new research and teaching in economics and related disciplines, it now offers programs at all levels of university education across an extraordinary range of fields of study including business, sociology, cultural studies, philosophy, political science, international relations, law, Asian studies, media and communications, IT, mathematics, engineering, and more. Learn more on www.hse.ru

Syllabus


WEEK 1


Introduction to the Course



Dear Student, welcome to the first module of the course "Understanding Russians: Contexts of Intercultural Communication"! My name is Mira Bergelson and I will teach this class, assisted by Yulia Badryzlova, Tatiana Golubeva and the team of Coursera and HSE technical specialists. Thanks for joining us and for your interest in the Russian communication patterns.


2 videos, 2 readings expand

1. Video: Course Promo
2. 閱讀: F.A.Q.
3. Video: Meet the Team
4. 閱讀: Grading and Requirements

Intercultural Communication as an Academic Discipline



We want this course to be not only a learning experience, but a cultural journey full of discoveries and fun. We will begin by introducing the notion of Intercultural Communication. We will look at ICC as an academic field: have a glimpse of its history, look at its place among other disciplines, discover possible approaches to it, and see why it is important to study the context of cultural events and phenomena.


7 videos, 4 readings expand

1. Video: 1.1 Introduction to the Course.
2. Video: 1.2 What is Intercultural Communication?
3. Video: 1.3 History of Intercultural Communication: An Overview.
4. Video: 1.4 Intercultural Communication in the Context of Other Disciplines.
5. Video: 1.5 Different Approaches to Intercultural Communications. Relations Between Culture and Language.
6. Video: 1.6 Role of Context. Formats of Intercultural Communication. Definition of Intercultural Communication.
7. Video: 1.7 Structure of the Course.
8. 閱讀: Weekly Reading
9. 閱讀: Note to Quiz 1
10. 閱讀: Links featured in lecture videos
11. 閱讀: Lecture Notes

Graded: Quiz 1

WEEK 2


Culture in Intercultural Communication



This lecture will focus around Culture per se and the language we need to be able to discuss it. The more complex and less formalized is the subject of the discussion, the more crucial are its instruments. We will introduce various dimensions that are applicable to different cultures and will also start to discuss the Russian culture in these terms. Starting this week we will also present short interviews of Prof. Bergelson's with people (non-Russians culturally) who have lived and worked in Russia, and who will serve as experts on various issues and contexts of communication with Russians. As stereotypes are one of the central concepts in the cross-cultural discourse, this week we will see interviews centered on this topic. The experts you will meet -- and not only this week -- are Anna Skaya (CEO VisualDNA Russia), Michael Johnston, (Private Equity Sector Lead Director of Strategy at Deloitte), and Ilya Gnoensky who specializes in crisis management.


12 videos, 4 readings expand

1. Video: 2.1. Metaphors of Culture
2. Video: 2.2. Components and Characteristics of Culture
3. Video: 2.3. Culture's Dimensions: Value Orientations
4. Video: 2.4. Cultural Orientations Model (COM)
5. Video: 2.5 Culture's Consequences
6. Video: 2.6. Cultural Knowledge and Stereotypes
7. Video: 2.7. Interview: Stereotypes about Russia, Expats' Opinions (A. Skaya and M. Johnston)
8. Video: 2.8. Basic Values of Russian Culture
9. Video: 2.9. Russian Cultural Dimensions: Environment and Time
10. Video: 2.10. Russian Cultural Dimensions: Time and Action
11. Video: 2.11. Interview: Expert (I. Gnoensky) on Importance of Intercultural Studies.
12. Video: 2.12 Interview: Expert (I. Gnoensky) on goal-setting and responsibility-taking in Russian business culture.
13. 閱讀: Weekly Reading
14. 閱讀: Note to Quiz 2
15. 討論提示: Which metaphor of culture do you prefer?
16. 閱讀: Links featured in lecture videos
17. 閱讀: Lecture Notes

Graded: Quiz 2

WEEK 3


Theory of Communication



In this week's lectures we will shift our focus, and will be looking at the basics of communication in order to apply them later to the Russian communication style. We hope you will find this information useful for understanding various motives that govern the way people (not only Russians!) interact. Anna Skaya and Michael Johnston will continue to be our experts, and your weekly quiz will await you as well. We wish you a nice learning experience in this section of the course.


9 videos, 4 readings expand

1. Video: 3.1. Construction of Meaning in Communication
2. Video: 3.2. Language as a Means of Communication
3. Video: 3.3. Discourse Approach to Communication
4. Video: 3.4. Communication as Transaction. Communication Functions
5. Video: 3.5. Interview: Experts (M. Johnston, A. Skaya) about Communication and Language Barriers in Business in Russia
6. Video: 3.6. about ommunication: Levels, Models, Pragmatic Competencies
7. Video: 3.7. Language Functions
8. Video: 3.8. Linguistic Instruments of Human Interaction: The Cooperative Principle
9. Video: 3.9. Speech Acts Theory: Cross-cultural Aspects
10. 閱讀: Weekly Reading
11. 閱讀: Note to Quiz 3
12. 討論提示: Stereotypes about Russia, do they play a role in international politics?
13. 閱讀: References to works quoted in lecture videos
14. 閱讀: Lecture Notes

Graded: Quiz 3

WEEK 4


Culture’s Impact on Communication: Politeness



The lectures you'll see this week will be devoted to the linguocultural aspects of Politeness in Russian communication style and to other dimensions of Russian communication. We will meet an exciting new expert, Jennifer Eremeeva, an American author and blogger based in Moscow. And it's time for the first peer-reviewed assignment, "Critical incident analyzed". It offers you a critical incident of communication with Russian partners, in which you are expected to both simulate your response and give your analysis of what is culturally sensitive in this piece of discourse.


11 videos, 3 readings expand

1. Video: 4.1. 'Self' and 'Face' in Communication
2. Video: 4.2. Face Threatening Acts and Politeness
3. Video: 4.3. Power and Distance Cross-culturally
4. Video: 4.4. Pragmatic Control Principle
5. Video: 4.5. Politeness systems: Where do Russians belong?
6. Video: 4.6. Culturally Determined Forms of Communication
7. Video: 4.7. Russian Communication Style
8. Video: 4.8. Features to Compare
9. Video: 4.9. Russian Communication: Expressive Use of Language
10. Video: 4.10. Summary of Culture's Influence on Communication
11. Video: 4.11. Interview: Expert (I. Gnoensky) Analyzes Peer-Review Assignment
12. 閱讀: Weekly Reading
13. 閱讀: Note to Quiz 4
14. 討論提示: Specific politeness strategies in cross-cultural communication with Russians and other cultural groups
15. 閱讀: Lecture Notes

Graded: Quiz 4
Graded: Critical Incident Analyzed

WEEK 5


Communication in Organizational Contexts



This week of the course is devoted to Russian communication in organizational contexts. Organizations are crucial: they shape culture and are shaped by culture. You will learn how Russian organizational culture developed throughout Russian history and how it influenced the way today's Russians behave in organizational and buziness environment. Our guests Michael Johnston and Ilya Gnoensky will add to the discussion by sharing their impressions on the Russian corporate culture and management styles.


11 videos, 5 readings expand

1. Video: 5.1. Organizational and National Cultures
2. Video: 5.2. Organizations as Cultures: Changes in Russian Organizations
3. Video: 5.3. Russian Management Culture
4. Video: 5.4. Distribution of Power: Hierarchy and Equality in Russian Culture
5. Video: 5.5. Interview: Expert (M. Johnston) on Organizational Structure and Organizational Culture in Russia
6. Video: 5.6. Collectivism and Individualism in Russian Culture
7. Video: 5.7. New Post-Soviet Managerial Culture
8. Video: 5.8. Expectation Gaps and 'Double Standards'; Russian Perspective
9. Video: 5.9. Comparing and Creating Management Inter-culture in Russia
10. Video: 5.10. Russian Corporate Discourse
11. Video: 5.11. Interview: Expert (J. Eremeeva) Discusses Newest Russian History, Basic Values
12. 閱讀: Weekly Reading
13. 閱讀: Note to Quiz 5
14. 討論提示: What cultural traditions, basic values hinder reforms in Russia?
15. 閱讀: Links featured in lecture videos
16. 閱讀: References to works quoted in lecture videos
17. 閱讀: Lecture Notes

Graded: Quiz 5

WEEK 6


Social Stratification and Occupational Cultures in Russia



he material covered in the remaining weeks of the class will contain less theory of intercultural communications and more information about contemporary Russia, its ways of life and their historic background. This week we will speak about the social stratification (plus the recent history of the social strata) in Russia, as well as the Russian professional and occupational communication (including the recent changes in it) – both domestically and in the context of international contacts. The lecture will be wrapped up with a case study in which Prof. Bergelson took part some time ago to demonstrate intercultural communications studies at work – in the analysis of an international educational program between a major Russian and a major US university. As in the previous weeks, we will have guest experts to enrich the lecture material with their first-hand experience of living and working in Russia: Margaret Sullivan will describe what it is like to work for an NGO in Russia; Dirk Meissner will speak about teaching students and doing academic work at our home university, the Higher School of Economics.


11 videos, 4 readings expand

1. Video: 6.1. Social Stratification, 'New Russians' and what 'Oligarch' Means
2. Video: 6.2. New Elites and New Issues: from 'Kolkhoznik' to Farmers; Role of NGOs; Russian Regions
3. Video: 6.3. Old Russians and 'Old Russians'
4. Video: 6.4. Middle Class
5. Video: 6.5. Intelligentsia and Intellectuals
6. Video: 6.6. Occupational Cultures in New Russia
7. Video: 6.7. What Russians Expect from Western Partners Professionally
8. Video: 6.8. Typical Situations of Partnerships
9. Video: 6.9. Case Study of an International Educational Program
10. Video: 6.10. Interview: Expert (M. Sullivan) Speaks about Working at a Russian NGO
11. Video: 6.11. Interview: Expert (D. Meissner) about Teaching Russian Students
12. 閱讀: Weekly Reading
13. 閱讀: Note to Quiz 6
14. 討論提示: Differences between social classes in Russia and in your country
15. 閱讀: Links featured in lecture videos
16. 閱讀: Lecture Notes

Graded: Quiz 6

WEEK 7


Interpersonal Communication



This week we will talk about the specific Russian features of interpersonal communication, communication across genders, and the generational discourse systems.Specifically, we will have a look at such issues as: friendship, dating, role of women; family structure, having and raising children, education, demographic and generational issues, ideological orientations, cross-gender communication, and forms and modes of address across various discourse systems. The Weekly Reading (one of which is optional) will provide further lively examples and evidence about some of these topics.Our guest speakers Anna Skaya and Jennifer Eremeeva will will share their experience of cross-gender communication in Russia.


12 videos, 3 readings expand

1. Video: 7.1. What is Interpersonal Communication in Intercultural Domain
2. Video: 7.2. Russian Friendship
3. Video: 7.3. Dating in Russia
4. Video: 7.4. Gender Issues
5. Video: 7.5. Family Relations
6. Video: 7.6. Family Structure; Raising Children; Role of Education
7. Video: 7.7. Family Values, Generational and Family Discourse. Interview: Expert (A. Skaya) about Family Values
8. Video: 7.8. How Liberal or Conservative Russia is
9. Video: 7.9. Сross-gender Сommunication in Russian Social and Business Environment. Interview: Expert (A. Skaya) talks about Cross-Gender Issues in Business Communication
10. Video: 7.10. Interview: Expert (J. Eremeeva) about Russian Cross-gender Communication
11. Video: 7.11. Modes of Address across Discourse Systems
12. Video: 7.12. Conclusion and Reading
13. 閱讀: Weekly Reading
14. 閱讀: Note to Quiz 7
15. 討論提示: Is the term 'feminine culture' applicable to Russia?
16. 閱讀: Lecture Notes

Graded: Quiz 7
Graded: Essay on Cultural Gaps

WEEK 8


Culture as a Narrative



Sad to say, this is the last week of lectures in our course. And in this last week we present not factual data or charts or tables, but rather a narrative -- this time a narrative of Russian history in broad impressionistic strokes. We do believe in narratives: they are never complete, but they provide attitudes. And culture – more than anything else – is a narrative.This time we will look at narratives as a source of knowledge about a culture, and, specifically, at such cultural narratives as: national Russian holidays, the key events of Russian history, personal stories of Russians in the 20th century, and Russian jokes and humor. Two video interviews with Jennifer Eremeeva will be dealing with some of these topics.


11 videos, 3 readings expand

1. Video: 8.1. Cultural Narratives as Stories of Culture
2. Video: 8.2. Competencies Needed to Tell and Understand a Good Story
3. Video: 8.3. Stories of Russian Culture as Seen through National Holidays
4. Video: 8.4. Ten centuries of Russian History in a Nutshell
5. Video: 8.5. Cultural Narratives of the First Half of the 20th Century
6. Video: 8.6. Cultural Narratives of the Second Half of the 20th Century
7. Video: 8.7. What Russian Cultural Stories are Based upon
8. Video: 8.8. Personal stories as Cultural Narratives
9. Video: 8.9. Interview: Expert (J. Eremeeva) Discusses Comeback of Traditional Values in Russia
10. Video: 8.10. Russian Jokes as a Way to Wrap up the Course's Narrative
11. Video: 8.11. Interview: Expert (J. Eremeeva) Talks about Russian Humour
12. 閱讀: Weekly Reading
13. 閱讀: Note to Quiz 8
14. 討論提示: Explain a joke from your culture
15. 閱讀: Lecture Notes

Graded: Quiz 8