The classes I will teach in Fall 2013 at EOU

COM 111 Interpersonal Communication

COM 215 Conflict Management

COM 250 Communication and Society -----[Online]

MA 260 Foundation of Mass Media

COM 325 Intercultural Communication (Salem, Oregon)

COM 350 Public Relations Principle and Practice

Glinka: Overture to Russlan And Ludmilla / Orchestra Of Mariinsky Theatre

Mozart K.488 Piano Concerto #23 in A (2nd. mov. - Adagio)_Gulda

Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition - Valery Gergiev Vienna Philharmonic

Ralph Vaughan Williams - Serenade to Music

Ralph Vaughan Williams - The Lark Ascending

Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 5 in D major - BBC Proms 2012 (Andrew Manze conductors)

Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade / Gergiev · Vienna Philharmonic · Salzburg Festival 2005

MA 260 / Week #9 Discussion: Journalism ethics

    Our journalists have been criticized for being "libelous" and "outrageous" in pursuing news. News organizations often use "newsworthiness" to justify aggressive reporting. Our court system tends to believe the news media has the best judgment in regard to what is "newsworthy." But, seriously, do you believe journalists have a legitimate reason to report on a miserable wardrobe during times of disaster? How do you evaluate the ethical performance of our journalism? What is the reason that journalists behave so badly sometimes?  

MA 260 / Week #9 Discussion: Journalism and values

  People are used to believing that American journalism is like a scientific experiment: no preconceptions exist, journalists simply watch what is going on in the tube under heat and then report it. But the authors of our textbook present another perspective:  Journalism is not value-free. American journalism carries the same taken-for-granted myth, as journalism in the USSR and China. One myth of our democratic narrative on news media is "responsible capitalism."  After the financial meltdown of 2008, we have clearly seen how "responsible" Wall Street really is. So, what's wrong with these "values" disseminated by our journalists and gobbled up by our readers? Do you believe American journalism is truly objective and value-free? 

MA 260 / Week #9 Discussion: Pundit Journalism

     What is wrong with modern journalism's heavy reliance on pundits and talking heads? We turn on the TV, we see numerous interviews and various "experts" representing various special interest groups, attempting to dominate the conversation with their nonstop jibber-jabbering? We may not be aware that some of them are paid to appear on TV to advocate for some organizations/super PACS.  Should the news media cut short their feeding frenzy and focus their cameras on us, the people, and let us inform them? 

      In America, we are used to thinking of our media as an amazing fact machine that keeps us intelligent and informed. But now imagine, one day, we, the people, will ask the media to shut up and let us inform them! How awesome would that be! Do you agree with me?  Explain your views on this issue.

MA 260 / Week #9 Discussion: Watchdog Journalism vs. Consensus Journalism

    American journalists are proud of uphoding their long tradition of being an "adversary" and "watchdog" of those in power. True, our democracy needs robust journalism to hold those in power accountable; but, watchdog journalism is also good business because conflict sells. The negative effect of this adversarial journalism is that our society is engaged in endless debating, and in-fighting, causing us to become more and more polarized as a country. We cannot converse constructively in regard to how to solve our problems. At some point, we Americans really need to reach a consensus to move forward. Do you agree with my observation? Please elaborate on this issue. 

MA 260 / Week #9 Discussion: Journalism Faculty Position at EOU

      Recently, we, the faculty of the media arts and communication program at Eastern Oregon University, have had a hard time convincing the administrators to not cut the journalism faculty position in anticipation of the retirement of our only journalism faculty at the end of next June. We simply believe journalism is the vital organ for our democracy. Without journalism, how will we teach the younger generations to become engaged citizens of American democracy? Here, I want you to join us to argue for the continuation of journalism education at Eastern. What is your best argument to hit home the point?

COM 325 / Week #9 Discussion: Silence: Don't take it lightly

   In our culture, we are expected to talk. So we often make awkward small talk to fill in the silence. But in other cultures, silence is just fine. In fact, silence is golden. Native Americans can wait for years to answer your questions. In Eastern cultures, especially those that practice Buddhism, silence is linked to truth.   Silence facilitates telepathy, aka mind-to-mind communication, which is actually the highest level of human communication. What do you think about this?

COM 325 / Week #9 Discussion: Eye contact: Don't take it for granted

   In America, it is impolite to avoid eye contact. As an instructor, I constantly remind my students to make more eye contact during their presentations. The more eye contact, the better. But in other cultures, eye contact is not always welcomed. We Chinese view prolonged eye contact an act of effrontery. In Far Eastern societies, if you are a subordinate, you cannot look at your supervisor eye to eye. In South America, sustained eye contact is referred to as the "evil eye." What do you think?

COM 325 / Week #9 Discussion: Power imbalance in nonverbal communication

  Let's face it, there is always a power imbalance in our nonverbal interaction with others. Historically, people have made judgments based on nonverbal features such as skin color. Also, people express their discrimination by using nonverbal behavior.  Have you ever realized your supervisor or big boss's office has the furniture arranged in a way that disempowers you? If you are a subordinate, you are required to be more punctual than your supervisor?  Tell us your experience with power imbalance in nonverbal communication.

COM 325 / Week #9 Discussion: Nonverbal communication: Should we read deep into it?

    There are many gurus these days claiming they have the power to decipher any nonverbal message,  intended or not intended. Remember the TV show Lie to Me?  In Japan, there are some courses that teach people how to be "kawaii" (かわいい) nonverbally. I personally don't like to read deep into people's nonverbal behavior. Actually I am trying to be more oblivious toward nonverbal cues during interpersonal communication. There is a viral video called "Bitchy Resting Face" to mock the "science" of body movement, and face-reading. But before you finish reading and start responding to the post, read my disclaimer: I am strongly against using "B-" word. My question is, do we pay too much attention to nonverbal cues in our communication and should we put less effort in trying to "perform" during our communication with others?

 

COM 325 / Week #9 Discussion: Communicating identity nonverbally

    I heard the other day that tattoos and graffiti mean a great deal to the gang/mafia community.  Some gangs have had their pecking order based on members' tattoos. I cannot help pondering over the numerous nonverbal messages in our daily lives that signify who we are. Call me ridiculous if you want but I have the faux-hawk hairstyle even though I am considered way too old to have that kind of hairstyle. In the past 30 years, the 20 top leaders of the Chinese government have collectively dyed their hair jet black even though they were well over 60 or 70 years old. But here is my question:  How do we use nonverbal communication (appearance, body odor, skin color, body movement, vocal characteristics, personal space, seating, punctuality, furniture arrangement, etc. ) to signify our cultural identity? Have you ever been surprised by the nonverbal messages of people from other cultures?