Topics to Guide Reading and Discussion
Study the materials and be prepared to contribute in an informed discussion of the following topics and questions:
- You have read Martha Bayles’s analysis of what makes American music “American.” What values does she claim modem American TV shows communicate to the world?
- Which of the American TV shows she cites are you familiar with? Do you agree with her characterization of these shows?
- Can you add any other TV shows to her list?
- Why does she think these cultural exports can be problematic?
- What does the “Late Night TV Talk Show” model, e.g., Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, and Trevor Noah, communicate to the world about American culture?
- In the New York Times, Josh Katz maps watching trends across geographic regions in the US via 50 TV shows. What does he discover?
- What is the relation between American geography/history/values and these TV trends? Be prepared to explain the relationships by referring to the various materials we have explored, e.g., Woodard’s American Nations.
Oral Response #2: Conduct an informal interview of approximately 10 of your friends and acquaintances about their TV watching habits. Design and ask them three or four questions that are informed by the materials you have studied for class. Is the “survey data” from these informal interviews supportive, contradictory, or distinct from the main themes developed in the assigned materials?
Prepare to describe your survey and results in a well-organized two-minute presentation. I will videotape these nano-presentations and send each of you a private link so you can watch and complete a self-assessment.
Study the materials and be prepared to contribute in an informed discussion of the following topics and questions:
- Charles Dorn describes how his history of American higher education differs from histories by other authors. Summarize the major differences.
- Dorn uses the term “common good” in his discussion of US education. Why can this term seem contradictory?
- What is the impact of “competing commitments” in American higher education?
- What is the “grand narrative” of higher education history in the US, according to Dom?
- What are two or three main differences between higher education in the US and that in your other" culture?
- What is the essence of Schiappa and Nordin’s concept of argumentation.
- What European historical contexts do Schiappa and Nordin reference? Why?
- What are some of the communication contexts where arguments are central?
- How does the content of Schiappa and Nordin relate to current events in the U.S.?
- When is explicit evidence required to support arguments? What form does the evidence take?
- These two chapters of Keeping Faith with Reason are part of a textbook. As a result, they are highly formatted. For example, many headings and lists break up the density of the text. Try skimming the headings and starts of the paragraphs—can you gather the most important details that way?
- In “Agonism in the Academy,” Tanner presents several instances of dueling metaphors: barn raising vs. a boxing match; a doubting game vs. a sniffing game. What does she mean by these metaphors, and how do they help us understand the notion of agonism.
- What is the relationship between argumentation and agonism?
- While Tanner’s focus is academia, her observation of ritualized or ceremonial communication can be observed outside of academia. What examples can you think of?
- How have cultural forces shaped educational practices—ways of knowing, reasoning and communicating—in your “other country”? Consider education in its broadest sense, encompassing not only schooling, but the impact of extended family and community on shaping social and communication norms.
Study the materials and be prepared to contribute in an informed discussion of the following topics and questions:
- What does Martha Bayles mean by the terms popular culture and high culture, and why is this distinction important in her examination of American music?
- How did attitudes toward culture differ between colonial America and post-Revolution America?
- Why is jazz important to the story of American culture?
- How are its roots indicative of America’s “exceptionalism”?
- Is jazz folk music, according to the scholarly definition?
- What is the relationship between American music and politics?
- Make an informal music timeline below to represent the trajectory from low art to high art in the US.
- How does hip-hop fit in on this timeline? Is it an extension of what has come before or a branch off of the timeline that is related more closely to past traditions?
- Prepare two precisely worded questions to ask our guest speaker about American music. The questions should (1) relate to the themes developed in Bayles or (2) reflect other areas of interest in how American musical traditions reflect the country’s culture.
Study the Course Workbook materials and be prepared to contribute in an informed discussion of the following topics and questions:
- Communication in the work world involves many different communication genres: e.g., facilitating or participating in meetings, writing memos and reports, interviewing job candidates, doing oral performance reviews. What are the main formal communication tasks of a job search?
- How is a cover letter equivalent to an argument?
- In what work contexts would you expect to “do impromptu speaking”?
Part I
Study the materials and prepare to contribute in an informed discussion of the following topics and questions:
- As you read the first section of Gonick (pp. 1–77), consider the following questions:
- What was the role of geography in the development of colonial America?
- Why did people come to colonial America from other countries? How did the reasons change over time?
- In the Introduction to American Nations (pp. 1–19), Woodard claims “There isn’t and never has been one America, but rather several Americas”? What does he mean?
- How does Woodard define “nation” and “state”? Why does he claim that Americans are confused about the definitions of these terms?
- Analyze the map of American Nations. What strikes you about the distribution of the “nations”? How does Woodard explain the distribution?
- Woodard’s introduction focuses mostly on the class, religion, and attitudes of the original settlers of different parts of the US. Speculate about how geography shapes the different regions.
- Americans have the reputation of being innovative—members of a “can do” society. After reading Gonick and Woodard, how would you argue that the history and geography of the US have predisposed the country to innovation?
Written Response #3: Speculate about how the colonial period in American history may have shaped the national communication norms.
Part II
Study the materials and prepare to contribute in an informed discussion of the following topics and questions:
- Miller argues that America’s physical location explains the way Americans see the world.
- What does he mean?
- What three major cultural features comprise the core of his argument?
- The Pew Research Center infographic display summarizes five key cultural differences between the US and European countries.
- How have the recent readings on geography and history—Gonick, Woodard, and Miller—contributed to your understanding of how American values have been formed?
Part III
Study the materials and prepare to contribute in an informed discussion of the following topics and questions:
In our second Gonick reading, he covers the ‘‘New Nation," Expansion & Reform (pp. 93–179). To what extent was the American Revolution a revolt against taxes?
- How does the Declaration of Independence form the foundation of the American government and identity? What is the relationship between the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation? How did the early Supreme Court portray the division of power between the federal and state governments?
- What role did compromise play in establishing the first political structures? Consider the language of the founding fathers and the reality of the 18th century.
- How did political parties take shape? Compare the political visions of Jefferson, Hamilton, and Jackson. Can you hear/see any echoes of these visions in current political discourse?
- What features of American culture does the Monroe Doctrine reflect?
Written Response #4: Provide your reaction to Gonick’s cartoon history as a source of information compared to the more conventional materials you have studied in connection to geography and history in 21G.221 and elsewhere. Use concrete evidence from Gonick and the other materials to support your response. Consider questions such as the following. What aspects of American history were you most familiar with before reading these materials? What aspects of American history surprise you? Is the Cartoon History an effective way to improve understanding of American culture(s)? Why or why not? How do the cartoons add or detract from the historical content?
Part IV
Study the materials and be prepared to contribute in an informed discussion of the following topics and questions:
- As you read the last part of Gonick—“Modern Times” (pp. 275–377)—consider the following questions:
- Define the term “progressive” and give one or more examples of a “progressive” president of the US. Defend your choice(s).
- What different perspectives shaped US policies leading up to and entering WWI and WWII?
- How have racial attitudes in the US shaped regional demographics since the country’s founding?
- How did the following shape US culture, including language: the Cold War; the Civil Rights Movement; the Vietnam War; and the Women’s Movement?
- In “One nation, divisible,” Jouet introduces the central thesis of his book Exceptional America: What Separates Americans from the World and from Each Other.
- What are some of the ways he portrays America (and, by extension, Americans) as “exceptional” in comparison with other developed democracies?
- How does his perspective of “exceptionalism” differ from that of many Americans?
- What are some of the fundamental values that polarize Americans?
Written Response #5: Jouet was brought up and educated outside of the United States, but he now works in American higher education. What advantages do you think his biculturalism/bilingualism brings to his analysis of the US?
Study the materials and be prepared to contribute in an informed discussion of the following topics and questions:
- Watch Pico Iyer’s “Where is home”?
- What does Pico Iyer claim about his home? Do you believe him?
- How do you define home? Where do you feel most at home?
- Compare Iyer’s audience for his TED talk with Boroditsky’s conference audience.
- How does each speaker meet the audience needs within the respective contextual constraints?
- What are “thick” and “thin” cultures? How can we use these terms to describe mainstream American cultures? MIT cultures? Gendered cultures?
- Annie Dillard describes how she found her life’s passion as a child. What features of her family life strike you?
- How do the Dillard family dynamics compare and contrast to those of your family? What features account for any differences?
- As you read Stewart & Bennett on friendship, consider the following questions:
- What is your definition of a “friend”? What particular features characterize your relationship with your friends?
- How do typical American friendships reflect American culture, according to Stewart & Bennett? Does your experience with American MIT students confirm or refute their characterization?
Oral Response #1: Choose either questions #4 or #5 and prepare to present your response in a well-organized two-minute presentation. I will videotape these nanopresentations and send each of you a private link so you to watch and complete a self-assessment.
Study the materials and be prepared to contribute in an informed discussion of the following topics and questions:
- The short story “Friday Black” centers on several negative features of American culture. What are they?
- What, if any, positive features of American culture does the author, Adjei-Brenyah, touch on?
- How likely is it that Duo is the heir apparent to the narrator?
- What is the difference between Black Friday and Friday Black?
- How does the physical plan of the store reflect the mood of the story?
- The English language may have a huge vocabulary, but it is missing a neutral pronoun. In the era of LBGQ+ rights, pronoun reference is a political and cultural topic. What does Brooks have to say about pronoun use in 21st-century America?
- What other English words or phrases can you think of that have featured in cultural and political discussion in the last fifty years, e.g., “women” vs. “girls”?
- As you read Marshall’s “Why the Star-Spangled Banner is the Perfect Insight into America’s Soul,” list the different attitudes toward the national anthem that Marshall presents.
- Why does he use the term “soul”?
- On YouTube, listen to the four versions of the national anthem that Marshall mentions: Marvin Gaye; Jimi Hendrix; Jose Feliciano; John Amirante. How do they differ?
- Why do you think different populations in the USA have had such strong reactions to the way different musicians interpret the anthem?
- How does the view of the national anthem of your country of origin compare to that of the US? Do you stand, put your right hand on your heart, and take all hats off, as Americans do?
Written Response #6: Patriot’s Day holiday is next week. What is the role in the globally integrated 21st century for patriotism, national anthems, and flags? In your response, consider the way these buzzwords and symbols have been used throughout US history and in the history of your other culture(s).
Keep in mind that cultures shape communication on different levels—local, national, regional, ethnic, institutional, gendered—as you study the materials and prepare to contribute in an informed discussion of the following topics and questions:
- In general, how do factors such as a community’s social structures, values, and beliefs influence specific communication practices?
- What are some situations in your own life where these factors have influenced your communication?
- What are some examples from any language you speak of the way culture is reflected in language?
- In his review of the book Speaking American, McWhorter describes both the difficulties of studying the history of American English and the particular drawbacks of the book under review. What are they?
- Describe your general attitude to class discussions. Is Graff & Birkenstein’s approach to supporting college discussions, as represented in the very short chapter you read for class, helpful? How could the chapter be expanded?
Written Response #2: Stewart & Bennett identify three core principles of American culture. Describe the influence of these principles on American communication norms, and discuss the ways cultural core principles influence your other language(s).
Introduction: “Small talk,” informal chatting with strangers or acquaintances, can be a major source of anxiety for many, regardless of cultural background. At the same time, graceful small talk is a valuable (even necessary) skill in most Anglo-American professional contexts and can help you network to build useful relationships.
Task #1: Watch the video Get That Job: Making Small Talk. Take notes and be prepared to deliver a 90-second summary of what you learned.
Task #2: Discuss which topics below are appropriate for small talk in the USA:
- Religion
- Sports
- Salary
- Weather
- Politics
- TV shows/Movies
- Marital status
- Personal health
- Health problems
- Physical appearance
- Taste in music
How can we reconcile anxiety and necessity? First, we can prepare content for the informal banter that characterizes contexts like work parties, conference events, and job interviews by activities such as
- Reading (e.g., MIT’s student newspaper, The Tech; local, national, and world news in Anglo-American sources; local and company websites)
- Keeping up with the local national sports scenes
- Other?
Second, we can adopt appropriate networking behaviors for social contexts:
- Move around and approach small groups rather than large ones
- Introduce ourselves and remember other people’s names
- Be sensitive to others’ verbal and physical exit cues; use our own tactfully
- Take a sincere interest in others; find common ground
- Listen more than we speak; listen actively
- Ask open-ended questions and expand in your responses to others’ yes/no questions
- Display open body language
- Keep our tone and conversation positive; avoid the negative
- Avoid eating and drinking too much
Task #3: Work with a partner to compose a short small talk exchange between two MIT students meeting at the ISO orientation. Try to combine statements and questions into a turn-taking exchange. The start is provided for you.
A: Hi, how are you?
B: Hi, good thanks. Happy to finally be here! Did you just arrive?
A: _____________
B: _____________
A: _____________
B: _____________
Task #4: Work with a partner to compose a short small talk exchange between an interviewer and an interviewee at the start of a job interview.
Person A: _____________
Person B: _____________
Person A: _____________
Person B: _____________
Person A: _____________
Person B: _____________
In the foreword to his book Choosing Sides, Stanley Aronowitz claims, “The rise of the sports metaphor in American life is among the most significant cultural developments of our age. The ubiquity of the metaphor may now have reached the point where sports is the metaphor for what we mean by American life.” As you study the materials, keep Aronowitz’ s claim in mind and be prepared to contribute in an informed discussion of the following topics and questions:
- According to William Deresiewicz, football is war; baseball is the farm; and basketball is the city. What does he mean? What is he saying about American culture?
- Macri cites a scholar who claims that there is a difference between a sport spectator and a sport consumer. What does this distinction tell us about how Americans assign value to sports and competition?
- In his article, Macri seems to set up a paradox: “Sports encourages commercialism, sexism, and nationalism,” and sports gives us “hidden values embedded in competitors and communal insights sports give us on a national scale.”
- What is Macri’s key message (thesis/conclusion)?
- American work culture abounds in sports metaphors that go beyond small taik in the coffee room. How can the winners-vs.-losers dichotomy embedded in many sports metaphors work against a business?
- Author Josh Chetwynd claims that high-profile CEOs use fewer sports metaphors than managers tend to use. What is a possible explanation for this difference?
- Does language related to sports play a metaphoric role in your other culture(s)? Explain.
- Why do Americans take sports writing and writing about sports so seriously?
- What is your favorite sport to play? To watch? List below 10–20 idioms and metaphors related to these sports; bring the list to class.
Read the materials and prepare to contribute in an informed discussion of the following topics and questions:
- Wuthnow explores the role that religion plays in Americans’ conception of their country as “exceptional.” What is the history and meaning of the image of America as “a city on a hill”?
- Is the US officially a Christian nation?
- In what ways is religion in the US “diverse”?
- What are some of the reasons for the right-left religious divide?
- How do religious beliefs affect US public policy and global activities?
- Compare the history and role of religion in the US to the situation in your other country/ies.
- Why did Thomas Jefferson consider himself a “primitive Christian,” and what did he mean by this term?
- What was his vision of an American civil religion and why were many of his compatriots wary of his perspective?
- Princeton history professor Kevin Kruse argues that “corporate America created Christian America.” How does he support this view and what does his argument have in common with Wuthnow’s position on the role of religion in the US?
- How has the perception of the US as a Christian nation changed over the country’s history?
- Why is the language of Christianity and the bible central to the national dialogue? What are some of the phrases that form American religious discourse or “code”?
Part I
Study the materials and be prepared to contribute in an informed discussion of the following topics and questions:
- Consider for discussion Some Questions to Ask about Culture.
- As you read Hall, E. and Hall, M. (1990), “Part I. Key Concepts: Underlying Structures of Culture,” pp. 3-31 in Understanding Cultural Differences, consider the following questions to guide your reading:
- What are the three parts of the communication process?
- Of the key concepts that Hall & Hall present, which were familiar before you read the chapter? Which were surprising?
- What do the authors mean when they state the “essence of effective cross-cultural communication has more to do with releasing the right responses than with sending the ‘right’ messages.”
- Hall & Hall use many “word pictures” to explain how communication works. Identify at least two metaphors, similes, or extended analogies that work particularly well.
- The cultural concept of time encompasses a number of features. What are they? Which are the most salient to you in the context of MIT?
- What are the five principles of interfacing?
- Watch Lara Boroditsky’s talk on How the Languages We Speak Shape the Ways We Think. Consider the following questions to guide your viewing:
- Who is the intended audience of the talk? What is the context?
- Does the evidence presented by Boroditsky support the claim that ‘’the language we speak influence[s] our experience of the world"? Why or why not? Consider your experience with languages other than English as you consider this question.
- How would you evaluate the scientist’s speaking skills? Think of concrete examples to support your evaluation.
Part II
Study the materials and be prepared to contribute in an informed discussion of the following topics and questions:
- As you read Stewart & Bennett, Language & Nonverbal Behavior, consider the following questions and topics to guide your reading:
- What do the authors mean when they say that Americans consider language as a “mechanism”? What are the implications of this attitude, and what examples from current American discourse can you provide to support or dispute the authors’ claim?
- Do you find the Whorf hypothesis convincing?
- The authors make some sweeping claims about what the structure and vocabulary of American English reveal about American thought and behaviors. How convincing do you find this argument?
- Linguist David Crystal claims that conversation rituals differ between/among genders. Has this been your experience? Think of examples in your life at MIT that support or refute this opinion and describe them.
- What does the Gillette “Me Too” ad campaign, and the different reactions to it, tell us about gender, culture, and communication?
Written response #1: Which features of nonverbal communication do you think are most salient in mainstream US culture? Which are most salient in your other culture(s)? Consider micro- and macro-cultures.
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2019
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