COMM 2051 - Minnesota’s New Immigrants: Communication, Culture and Conflict

Credits: 3
Hours/Week: Lecture 3Lab None
Course Description: Minnesota’s recent immigrant/refugee population is markedly different from that of the rest of the U.S., with proportionately significant numbers of Hmong, Somalis, Liberians, and Tibetans among others. In this course we study some of the more visible groups and the regions they come from: Southeast Asia, Horn of Africa, West Africa, Latin America, former Soviet Union/Eastern Europe. Why did they leave their homeland? What culture and communication did they bring with them? What communication adjustment and cultural conflicts do they experience? What are some important issues for their lives in Minnesota as they communicate with the larger society? Materials/activities include readings, films, discussions, interviews, and guest speakers/on-site visits when possible.
MnTC Goals
5 History/Social/Behavioral Science, 7 Human Diversity

Prerequisite(s): Assessment score placement into RDNG 1000 or completion of RDNG 0900 or RDNG 0950 with a grade of C or higher, and assessment score placement into ENGL 1021 or completion of ENGL 0090 with a grade of C or higher.
Corequisite(s): None
Recommendation: Completion of ENGL 1021 with a grade of C or higher or concurrent enrollment.

Major Content

Introduction to course Trends in international migration Immigrant vs. refugee/asylee status. Crisis and response: The U.S. reaction to current conditions.
Patterns of Minnesota immigration. Changing populations since 1990. Important demographic characteristics. Issue facing Twin Cities and outstate immigration/refugee groups. Implications for public policy.
Southeast Asia/Hmong. Introduction to topic: Historical background. Class discussion: Communication, culture clash, and adaptation.
Horn or Africa/Somali. Introduction to topic: Historical background. Class discussion: Communication, culture clash, and adaptation.
West Africa/Liberian. Introduction to topic: Historical background. Class discussion: Communication, culture clash, and adaptation.
Latin America/Mexican Introduction to topic: Historical background. Class discussion: Communication, culture clash, and adaptation.
Former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe/Russian, Bosnian. Introduction to topic: Historical background. Class discussion: Communication, culture clash, and adaptation.

Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course students will be able to:

Describe basic cultural and communication features of the target groups and geographic areas.
Recount conditions in these areas which forced or motivated people to come to the U.S. and Minnesota.
Analyze major issues of the immigrant/refugee experience with reference to communication and culture.
Describe key communication dynamics within a given immigrant/refugee community (intra-), and between that community and the larger host culture (inter-).
Analyze how intercultural communication concepts (e.g. U-curve hypothesis) can contribute to immigrant/refugee adaptation and adjustment.
Explain how the immigrant experience is communicated and interpreted in contemporary films.
Display some measure of change in intercultural attitude and/or behavior through either self-report or pretest/posttest instrument.

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COMM 2051 - Minnesota’s New Immigrants: Communication, Culture and Conflict