FOLK 420 640 Culture, Communication,
and Body Language
M. Kruesi
Lecture: Tuesday 5:30-8:10 PM
Contact: kuesi@pobox.upenn.edu
Our perception and interpretation of body language is often subliminal,
but is crucial in all communication. This course will develop
skills in observation and analysis of nonverbal behavior, with
a particular emphasis on cross
cultural communication. In contemporary society, the analysis
of nonverbal communication has applications in education, psychology,
business, advertising, medicine, police work, the justice system,
the military, religion, sports, and politics. As video and digital
cameras are increasingly being placed in public (and private!)
locations, the ethical questions of why, how, and by whom body
movements and images are analyzed become a topic of primary importance
for society. Clothing, scents, gestures, eye contact, silence,
music, dance, the built environment -- all are used to construct
relationships and develop markets for the new century. Readings
from a number of disciplinary perspectives will give us the opportunity
to investigate these and other issues related to the body and
to nonverbal communication in multicultural societies.
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