HSS Research Seminar: Open Culture Open Language: The Key Intercultural Communication Issues for Language Learning and teaching

Research Seminar Delivered by Professor Zhu Hua, University College London.

Globalisation, the changing dynamics of geopolitics and, more recently, the on-going pandemic and rising nationalism have heightened the significance of intercultural communication issues in almost every aspect of everyday life. In this talk, I’ll reflect on the key shifts in conceptualisation and methodological positioning within intercultural communication research and discuss their implications for language learning and teaching along the following questions: Where is culture in language learning and teaching? What are the perks and perils of intercultural encounters mediated through digital technology? And how can intercultural communication research contribute to social justice agendas? I argue that we need to situate goals of language and culture learning in the local contexts, to reconceptualise what counts as success, strategies, learning targets and outcomes, and to raise awareness of the (hidden) power dynamics and politics of cultural differences.

Refreshments will be served from 4.30pm.

Join this event on Microsoft Teams.