Semiotics of culture and communication -...

Semiotics of culture and communication

© Equipe Sémiotique Cognitive et Nouveaux Médias(Escom) – Paris

PETER STOCKINGER

Institut National des Langues et Civilisations Orientales (INALCO)

Signs, culture and communication

European Master in Intercultural Communication –University of Tartu

October 2008

Design graphique et multimédia : Elisabeth DE PABLO, MSH


Introduction

Peter Stockinger: Semiotics of culture and communication (Tartu, 2008)


In this general introduction will be presented:

1. The content and general objectives of this online course;

2. The contribution expected from the side of the studentsin form of a small research project provided either by a single student or by groups composed of max. twostudents;

3. A systematic presentation of the website of this online course providing the students with all necessaryresources for assimilating correctly the course topicsand for realizing the research project;

4. A precise planning of all activities concerning this online course.

General content



1st topic

- Content of this course and group work -



1st topic

Content and objectives This online course is devoted to the general question of sign

and sign systems in cultures and in intercultural communication, this means to a semiotics of culture and of interculturalcommunication

We will outline this – rather complex – question by the meansof three lectures (available on line):

Lecture I – Culture – cultural forms – social actors

Lecture II – Social reality and multiculturalism

Lecture III - Language culture(s)



The students’ group work:

A concrete contribution from the side of the students is asked for in form of:

a group work (each group should be composed by twostudents)

on a specific cultural activity and form and itscharacteristic sign systems (cf. the list of activitiesproposed at th end of this introduction and on the web site).

This group work will be realized in form of a researchreport

which will be evaluated by Peter Stockinger ([email protected])

and published online on the web site of the research labESCoM in Paris (cf. infra).

1st topic

Content and objectives



Procedure:

During the first day (cf. above, Planning of activities), students are forming groups composed of two (maximally three) members.

Each group consults the list (cf. next slide) of research topics on specific cultural forms.

Each group choses one specific topic, identifies one or specificexamples (for instance: « daily life culture » example: « shopping in a supermarket ») and tries to produce a comparative work takinginto acount the (national, linguistic, …) origins of the each member of a group.

The research work should be elaborated following the online research project guide (in word format).

The specific activities for doing this are described hereafter underthe « activities planning & calendar » heading.

For any questions, please contact Peter Stockinger: [email protected]

1st topic




List of eight selected cultural domains : Each group of studentsselects one and only one cultural domain for which one or twoconcrete examples should have to be identified and about which the research project should deal systematically.

1. Cultural forms and typical sign systems in daily life: (example …)

2. Cultural forms and typical sign systems of appearance (fashion): (example …)

3. Cultural forms and typical sign systems in mass mediacommunication: (example …)

4. Cultural forms and typical sign systems of "modern" affectivity, partnership and intimate relationship: (example …)

5. Cultural forms and typical sign systems in travel and tourism of young people: (example …)

6. Cultural forms and typical sign systems in meeting and dealing with people: (example …)

7. Cultural forms and typical sign systems of social engagement: (example …)

8. Cultural forms and typical sign systems in interpreting the "other": (example …)

1st topic




2nd topic

- The ESCoM web site and the web site of this course -



2nd sujet

The ESCoM Web site and the online resourcesfor thiscourse

ESCoM (Equipe Sémiotique Cognitive et Nouveaux Médias) isa research and development lab in Paris (at the Maison de Sciences de l’Homme) specialised in semiotics and (new) media studies, semiotics of cultures and IT.

The address of the ESCoM web site is: http://www.semionet.com



The EMICC course home page with all necessary resourceson line (explanation: next slight). You acess it in selecting, on the menu bar, « Enseignement >> Enseignement 2008/2009) and then, in the list of the available online courses, the second one …)

2nd sujet




Explanations of how to use the homepage of this online course. It gives an access to the following resources:

1. A proposed agenda and planning for this online course: it willhelp you to organise your work you are assumed to realise for this course

2. Three interactive online lectures (in pdf and ppt format) you are assumed to work through alone and in your group following the proposed agenda (more explanations hereafter)

3. Bibliographical and other online resources (texts, videos, …) thatcomplete the content of the three online lectures

4. The list of topics for your own research work in which you have to chose one (for further explanations, cf. hereafter)

5. A list of already realised similar research projects for this course within the EMICC framework

6. The (mostly in French) web site dedicated to our teaching in intercultural communication.

2nd sujet




Together, these resources will help you to assimilate the principal topics concerning our course on sign and sign systems in cultures and in intercultural communication, i.e. on a semiotics of culture and of intercultural communication.

A more precise planning of the activities will be proposed hereafter.

Generally speaking:

You are assumed to work on one online lecture each dayreserved for this course.

Your work should be divided in a personal lecture followed by a group discussion.

The reading of the online lectures as well as the group internaldiscussions of them should use not only the printed handouts of the lectures but also the online versions (in pdf or ppt format).

Indeed, all online lectures are in an interactive mode, this meansthat they enable you to access all those information and knowledge resources you need for a good assimilation of the proposed topics.

Open questions could be sent to me via email: [email protected]

2nd sujet




3rd topic

- Planning and coordination of activities, calendar -



3rd sujet

Planning and coordination of activities

I will explain you now the principal activities you shouldrealize for this course. Please follow them step by step:

First day of course - morning:

Wednesday 08th of October 2008

9 o’clock – 12 o’clock




Each student is supposed to start in reading this introduction.

During reading this introduction or just after having done it, please explore systematically the web site of this course and donwload:

The three lecturesThe Research Project Guide

Organise yourself in small groups of two (maximally three) persons and establish a list of all groups that should be sent to me. Please chose one colleague in your group who will do this.


Each group should spent a small hour in:

Checking the research project topics proposed for this yearExploring the research projects realised for this course in the last years

Each group should, finally, chose one research topic and send itto me ([email protected]).

3rd sujet





Each student should start working individually on the first lecture: Social actors and culture.

This lecture develops a general comprehensive framework:

of the notion of culture,

its intrinsic relationship with a social actor (i.e. a social group, a community, …)

and of what is called the « life world » of a social actorcomposed of the actor’s activities, environments, languagesand territories.

Don’t forget: every body should work not only on the printedhand out but also on the interactive online version of the lecture.

3rd sujet




Here are principal activities you should realize for this course. Please follow them step by step:

First day afternoon:

Wednesday 08th of October 2008


3rd sujet





Each group will work together on the first lecture, discuss itsissues and eventually establish a small list of open questions to be sent to me ([email protected])


Each group will spend these two hours in starting to work on the research project as follows:

1. Downloading and reading of the Research project Guide;

2. Informal discussion and brainstorming: definitions and examples of the chosen topic, personal interest, …;

3. Organisation of work following the project guide;

4. Information watch: search for online resources;

5. Progressive realisation of the research project: followingthe methodological framework developed in the threecourses.

Note: the research project should be sent to me till the 12th of december as a word document ([email protected]).

3rd sujet





Second day morning:

Thursday 09th of October 2008


3rd sujet




9 o’clock – 10 o’clock:

Each student should start working individually on the second lecture: Social reality and multiculturalism

This lecture develops a general comprehensive framework

of how to analyse and describe the culture of a social actor

as well as of its specificity with respect to other cultures.



Each group will work together on the second lecture, discuss itsissues and eventually establish a small list of open questions to be sent to me ([email protected])

3rd sujet





Second day afternoon:

Thursday 09th of October 2008


3rd sujet





Each group will spend these two hours in working on the research project as follows:

1. Information watch: search for online resources


Note: the research project should be sent to me till the 12th of December as a word document ([email protected]).

3rd sujet





Third day morning:

Friday 10th of October 2008


3rd sujet




9 o’clock – 10 o’clock:

Each student should start working individually on the thirdlecture: Language culture(s)

This lecture is dedicated more specifically

to the relationships between (natural) language and culture,

to the (natural) language as a specific cultural environmentof a social actor

and to the question of how to describe the language culture of a social actor (a social group or community)



Each group will work together on the third lecture, discuss itsissues and eventually establish a small list of open questions to be sent to me ([email protected])

3rd sujet





Third day afternoon:

Friday 10th of October 2008


3rd sujet





Each group will spend these two hours in working on the research project as follows:

1. Information watch: search for online resources


Note: the research project should be sent to me till the 12th of December as a word or ppt document ([email protected]).

3rd sujet



Semiotics of culture and communication -...

Documents

Transcript of Semiotics of culture and communication -...