Academic courses

Academic course

Intercultural Communication and Mediation

The course develops the ability to communicate consciously and responsibly in culturally diverse environments and the skills required to identify misunderstandings, conduct negotiations and support dialogue.

Institution University of Wroclaw
Term summer semesters from the 2014/2015 academic year, taught regularly.
Language English

Course scope

The seminar combines sociological and cultural studies perspectives with the analysis of communication in international teams, organisations and social life. Participants examine how values, social norms and culturally informed understandings of relationships, time, hierarchy, trust and responsibility influence communication, and as a result: cooperation and decision-making.

Models of cultural difference are used as starting points for interpretation rather than fixed classifying systems. An important part of the course is the critical examination of stereotypes, ethnocentric assumptions and the tendency to explain behaviour primarily through the lens of our own cultural background. Participants learn to recognise the importance of context while taking account of individual experience and the complexity of identity.

The teaching approach reflects the view that cultural intelligence requires a willingness to question one’s assumptions, listen carefully and make deliberate communicative choices. Openness is therefore approached as both an intellectual and a communicative practice: the ability to ask questions, suspend immediate judgement and acknowledge that the same situation may be understood from different perspectives.

The negotiation and mediation component focuses on distinguishing between positions, interests and needs, preparing for difficult conversations, identifying BATNA and searching for possible areas of agreement applying Joint Problem Solving Method. Participants consider active listening, effective questioning, responses to tension and ways of supporting dialogue. The course also addresses the ethical dimension of communication, including responsibility for language, the effects of pressure and power imbalances, and the boundaries of persuasion.

Theory is considered alongside situations drawn from organisational, business and civic practice. The aim is not to provide universal formulas, but to develop the ability to analyse complex situations carefully, justify decisions and consider their possible consequences for relationships between people.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, participants are able to:

  • analyse how values, social norms and cultural contexts influence communication and cooperation;
  • use intercultural communication models critically, without relying on stereotypes or generalisations;
  • recognise their own interpretative assumptions and take account of other participants’ perspectives;
  • distinguish between positions, interests and needs, and select appropriate ways of conducting a conversation;
  • apply introductory techniques of active listening, questioning, paraphrasing and de-escalation;
  • understand BATNA and know the ways to apply Join Problem Solving Method in different negotiation situations;
  • evaluate communication practices in relation to responsibility, power and the principles of ethical persuasion.

Teaching methods

  • the analysis of intercultural situations and case studies;
  • negotiation and mediation simulations;
  • exercises in careful listening, effective questioning and perspective-taking;
  • facilitated discussions of ambiguous communication situations;
  • reflection on dillemas and participants’ decisions.

These methods create opportunities to connect theory with practice, examine established ways of thinking and develop responsible responses to situations for which no single obvious solution exists. 

Target group

The course is intended primarily for students of sociology, international relations, communication, management and public policy. It is also relevant to those preparing to work in international teams, culturally diverse organisations or institutions involved in global cooperation.

Academic and professional relevance

The course develops a critical and interdisciplinary approach to communication, cultural difference and social relationships. It provides a foundation for further analysis of organisational culture and international cooperation.

It supports competencies relevant to team management, human resources, project coordination, public administration, diplomacy and institutional communication. The course develops the capacity to participate in negotiations thoughtfully, communicate responsibly and create constructive dialogue.