| CODE | LAS1066 | ||||||||||||
| TITLE | Migration, culture and communication | ||||||||||||
| UM LEVEL | I - Introductory Level | ||||||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Centre for the Liberal Arts and Sciences | ||||||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This Unit explores the complex intersections between migration, culture, and communication, with a particular focus on Malta as a contemporary migration hub in the Mediterranean. Drawing on interdisciplinary perspectives from migration studies, cultural theory, sociology, and communication studies, the course introduces students to key concepts such as mobility and globalisation, cultural transfer and exchange and intercultural communication. Through these lenses, students will critically examine how migration reshapes societies, identities, and modes of interaction at local, national, European and global levels. A core component of the Unit is the development of cultural intelligence and intercultural communication capabilities. Students will engage with critical cultural and theoretical frameworks to understand the role of interpersonal relations and communication in diverse cultural contexts, including individual, organisational, and societal settings. Particular attention is paid to Malta’s evolving cultural landscape, examining how increased migration has transformed social relations, workplaces, public discourse, and institutional responses on the island. The Unit encourages students to reflect on their own cultural positioning, the multiple sub-cultures to which they belong, and how culture shapes values, behaviours, and communication styles. By fostering self-awareness alongside analytical skills, students will better understand how cultural assumptions influence interactions with others, especially in multicultural and migration-affected environments. Students will also develop practical skills for working with and leading culturally and religiously diverse groups. The Unit addresses common intercultural challenges, including miscommunication, misunderstanding, and conflict, and equips students with strategies and tools to navigate these effectively. Case studies and examples drawn from Malta’s migration experience, such as asylum reception, labour migration, integration debates, and intercultural encounters in everyday life, will ground theoretical learning in real-world contexts. Overall, the Unit aims to equip students with advanced critical thinking, problem-solving, and intercultural competencies necessary to operate ethically and effectively in global and multicultural settings. It provides a strong foundation for further research, professional practice, or policy-oriented work related to migration, culture, and communication, both within Malta and beyond. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the Unit the student will be able to: - Describe and critically apply key cultural frameworks and theories to migration and cross-cultural communication in multicultural societies, with particular reference to the Maltese context; - Identify and analyse identity-based and team/group level intercultural relations and communication challenges, including those emerging in culturally and religiously diverse settings shaped by migration; - Discuss contexts and processes of interpersonal and organisational communication, examining how migration, power dynamics and institutional structures influence relations and communication dynamics; - Identify, interpret and evaluate intercultural relations and comunication challenges, misunderstandings and misinterpretation and assess their social and organisational implications; - Assess strategies for preventing and managing culture shock and critically consider their implications for communication, integration and collaboration in workplaces and community settings; - Develop and apply mediation, negotiation strategies and intercultural and interreligious conflict management tools to address relationships and communication breakdowns and tensions in migration-affected environments. 2. Skills: By the end of the Unit the student will be able to: - Apply cultural competence to everyday organisational, institutional, and business decisions in multicultural and migration-affected contexts, including those characteristic of contemporary Malta; - Communicate effectively and appropriately with individuals and groups from diverse cultural, linguistic and religious backgrounds, demonstrating sensitivity to power relations and contextual factors; - Select, adaota and shift between communication strategies and styles according to context, audience and the objectives, particularly in intercultural and multilingual environments; - Identify and utilise appropriate modes of cross-linguistic communication, including the effective use of interpreters, translators, visual tools and alternative communication strategies, to facilitate understanding across language barriers; - Anticipate, prevent, and address cultural misunderstandings and communication breakdowns, applying analytical and practical tools to foster inclusion, collaboration, and mutual understanding. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Hofstede, G. (2015), “National Differences in Communication Styles” in D. Brzozowska and W. Chłopicki (Eds.), Culture's Software: Communication Styles, Cambridge Scholars Printing, Boston, MA, USA. - Hofstede, G. (2011), “Dimensionalizing cultures: The Hofstede Model in context”. Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, Unit 2, http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/orpc/vol2/iss1/8. - Livermore, D. (2015), Leading with Cultural Intelligence, AMACOM, New York City, USA. - Scholten, P. (Ed.). (2022). Introduction to migration studies: An interactive guide to the literatures on migration and diversity. Springer. Supplementary Readings: - Hofstede, G.J., Pedersen, P.B., Hofstede, G. (2002), Exploring Culture: Exercises, Stories and Synthetic Cultures, Nicholas Brealey, Boston, MA, USA. - Meyer, E. (2016), The Culture Map. Decoding How People Think, Lead, and Get Things Done Across Cultures, PublicAffairs, New York City, USA. - Pisani, M., Debono, D., & Azzopardi, A. (Eds.). (2017). Migration in Malta: Integration, policy and everyday life. Malta University Press. - Trompenaars, F. et al. (2012). Cross Cultural Management Textbook Presentation, Lessons from the world leading experts in cross-cultural management, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. - Vertovec, S. (2007). Super-diversity and its implications. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 30(6), 1024–1054. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture, Seminar and Project | ||||||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Viviana Premazzi |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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