Lecture 13Today’s ConceptsCommunication patternsEthnic styles (or discourse) stylesMicro vs. macro explanationsMiscommunicationRespect/restrain (cultural norms)Interethnic communication vs. socio-historical constructivistIdentity politicsI. African Americans & Koreans in South Central LA Rodney King beating (1991), Latasha Harlin’s (1991) deathRacial tension, amplified by media, boils over race riots (1992) The range of explanationsFrom micro (the observable) to macro (large scale social relations)II. The challenge for BaileyHow to connect micro (communication) with macro (ethnic relations)In 1210 talk: how to move from double to triple contingencyHow NOT to see the LH incident as isolated but as an example/illustration/enactment of larger social relationHow to explain the micro as “grains of sand on a beach” (moments that represent or re-enact the macro) Focus on observable communicationCommunicative patterns: regular ways of speaking in speech communitiesInteractional style: communicative patters typical for a speech communityKoreans, African-Americans can be seen as ethnic speech communities Bailey’s main questions:How does interethnic tension/conflict come about?What role does communication (esp. divergent interactional styles) have to play in such tension Bailey is interested how the micro links up with the macro:Interethnic interaction (micro)  social consequences  interethnic tension (macro)III. Interethnic interactionKorean retailer to Korean customer: terse, fast, characterized by social restraint, lack of sociable engagement, task-orientedLittle small talk, all about exchange of money and goodsKorean retailer to African American customer: AA customer engages in personable conversation, Korean resists/avoids engagement Social consequencesKorean terseness seen by AA as a sign of disrespect and racismSociable encounter: sign of “respect”AA’s social engagement seen by Korean’s as “lack of restraint”“Respect” only applies 2 interactions between adults & minorsIV. From micro to macro How are these differences in ethnic interactional style related to interethnic relations?Two possible explanations for conducting themselves differently:1. Because they can’t help but be different (as a result of being socialized in different groups2. Because they want to be different (that is, they want to signal their different group memberships)K’s don’t want to act like AA’s and vice versa Why different patterns of interaction?Why do members of two groups talk differently in service encounters?2 possible explanations:1. Differences are the result of cultural and linguistic differences between retailers and customers2. Differences are means for retailers and customers to highlight social boundaries between themselvesV. Different patterns of conflict How are ethnic discourse styles and conflict linked?2 possible explanations:Different styles of interaction are..1. The ongoing source of interethnic tension (interethnic communication explanation: emphasizes difference in cultural background knowledge)2. The local enactment of pre-existing tensions (socio-historical/constructivist explanation: participants are active agents performing oppositional social identities)COMM 1210Lecture 13Today’s ConceptsCommunication patterns Ethnic styles (or discourse) styles  Micro vs. macro explanations  MiscommunicationRespect/restrain (cultural norms)Interethnic communication vs. socio-historical constructivist Identity politicsI. African Americans & Koreans in South Central LA   Rodney King beating (1991), Latasha Harlin’s (1991) death- Racial tension, amplified by media, boils over race riots (1992)  The range of explanations- From micro (the observable) to macro (large scale social relations) II. The challenge for Bailey- How to connect micro (communication) with macro (ethnic relations)o In 1210 talk: how to move from double to triple contingency- How NOT to see the LH incident as isolated but as an example/illustration/enactment of larger social relation - How to explain the micro as “grains of sand on a beach” (moments that represent or re-enact the macro)  Focus on observable communication- Communicative patterns: regular ways of speaking in speech communitiesThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.- Interactional style: communicative patters typical for a speech community o Koreans, African-Americans can be seen as ethnic speech communities  Bailey’s main questions:- How does interethnic tension/conflict come about?- What role does communication (esp. divergent interactional styles) have to play in such tension   Bailey is interested how the micro links up with the macro:- Interethnic interaction (micro)  social consequences  interethnic tension (macro)  III. Interethnic interaction- Korean retailer to Korean customer: terse, fast, characterized by social restraint, lack of sociable engagement, task-orientedo Little small talk, all about exchange of money and goods- Korean retailer to African American customer: AA customer engagesin personable conversation, Korean resists/avoids engagement  Social consequences- Korean terseness seen by AA as a sign of disrespect and racismo Sociable encounter: sign of “respect”- AA’s social engagement seen by Korean’s as “lack of restraint”o “Respect” only applies 2 interactions between adults & minors IV. From micro to macro  How are these differences in ethnic interactional style related to interethnic relations?- Two possible explanations for conducting themselves differently:1. Because they can’t help but be different (as a result of being socialized in different groups2. Because they want to be different (that is, they want to signal their different group memberships) K’s don’t want to act like AA’s and vice versa   Why different patterns of interaction?- Why do members of two groups talk differently in service encounters?- 2 possible explanations:1. Differences are the result of cultural and linguistic differences between retailers and customers2. Differences are means for retailers and customers to highlight social boundaries between themselves V. Different patterns of conflict How are ethnic discourse styles and conflict