PSYC2091: Building Bridges Across the World

Partnering with a classroom in another country will give students a unique opportunity to step outside of their experiences, and see how there are many similarities between people from different cultures. It will also address some implicit biases and assumptions we can make about people, and ways to better connect with people who do things differently than us. This kind of realization and development are at the foundation of being a global citizen and a well-developed scholar. When diverse voices are heard, diverse solutions emerge. These will be cornerstones of the course. 

This class is designed to have a rich experience with people in a different culture, without having to go there. In a way, that is better, because our time will be intentional, and goals on both sides will be aligned. And this makes this class more inclusive, because not everyone is able to study abroad. In this course, we will partner with a diverse classroom in Tilburg, Netherlands, and get to know them and their perspectives. This will be an examination of implicit and cultural biases, how to work towards minimizing them, and being trained in cultural sensitivity, ethnographical information, using an interdisciplinary approach, and best practices for intercultural communication. There will be components of the course that are directed, as well as self-(group-)directed. You don’t need to have an extensive background in cross-cultural communication, or psychology to excel in this course. What will be the best recipe for success is an open mind, respect for others, enthusiasm for learning, and the desire to connect with individuals in a culture. (Notice I did not say they were representative of the whole culture. Individuals are parts of many cultures, identities, and affiliations, and do not speak for their entire culture. You’re already learning in this course, and you only have read the description of it!).