1. What Is Culture? Lynn W. Zimmerman, PhD Fulbright Scholar
International Relations Institute Moldova
Chisinau, Moldova

2. Culture-Related Terms
Importance of time
Notions of modesty
Childraising beliefs
Understanding of the natural world
Concept of fairness
Concept of self
General word view
Concept of beauty

3. What is Culture? The Iceberg

4. Facial expressions Paintings
Religious rituals Literature
Gestures
Holiday Customs Foods
 Eating habits Music
Styles of dress
Religious beliefs Time Values
Child raising beliefs Concept of leadership Concept of fairness
Nature of friendship Notions of modesty Concept of self
Work ethic Concept of beauty World view
Personal space Rules of social etiquette
Understanding of natural world

5. Discussion What conclusions can you draw from this?
How do these hidden parts impact communication?
What does it tell us about the relationship between communication and culture?
What is ‘Moldovan’ (or your) culture?
What sorts of things may have influenced the way of life in the culture?
What sorts of things may have influenced communication in the culture?

6. Cultural Representations
Images
Pictures
Movies
Sculptures
Texts
Books
Stories
Poems
Songs

7. What is a movie?
A story
Sequential
Recorded

8. What is a ‘genre’?
a category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter
Action
Adventure
Children’s/Family
Comedy
Crime/Mystery
Drama
Epic/Saga
Fantasy
Historical/Historical fiction
Horror
Political
Romance
Science fiction
Thriller

9. Film Types
Feature
Documentary
Short film
Animation

10. Discussion Groups Discuss your favorite kind of movie
Ask and answer these questions:
What is your favorite type and genre of movie?
Explain why giving an example.

11. Pigeon Impossible As you watch , think about:
What type of film would you call this?
What genre?
Where is this film made? How can you tell?

12. Movies and Culture Movies are an important cultural artifact.
Tell me about movies in Moldova
How do I know a film is Moldovan?
What cultural and social cues would I see and hear?
How are they different from American films? Why?

13. Cultural Iceberg Activity
Choose one of the features of culture that is “below the water” from the Cultural Iceberg which is relevant to your culture.
Write a word paragraph which:
Explains why you chose it.
Explains which visible feature(s) of culture do you think it is related to? Why and how?
Type or write neatly

14. References
Peace Corps. (n.d.). Culture matters: The Peace Corps cross-cultural workbook. Washington, DC: Peace Corps Information Collection and Exchange.