Cross-Cultural Rhetoric (CCR) Project

The Cross-Cultural Rhetoric (CCR) Project within the Program of Writing and Rhetoric provides an opportunity for students to share their writing, research, and presentation ideas with other students from around the world.  Students take PWR 1 or PWR 2 courses that have the same assignment sequence as other courses but that give students a chance to meet and work with international students through the video conferences, collaborative blogs, and other forms of global communication.  Students learn first-hand essential skills in international collaboration and communication while they also develop new understandings of diverse cultural perspectives around the world. 

 

What kinds of activities do students in CCR courses complete?

The activities in CCR courses are all geared towards active learning with diverse international audiences. For example, students might learn to conduct rhetorical analyses of the following:

  • An AIDS campaign ad from India
  • A website for the band Ace of Base
  • A political speech by George Bush
  • A painting about Thanksgiving and American values by Norman Rockwell

However, instead of simply working with peers in the classroom, CCR students connect with students from Sweden, Australia, Singapore and the Czech Republic. Students might also pair up with an international colleague, choose a text for rhetorical analysis, and write a collaborative blog post about it.

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How can I share my writing and research in CCR?

In addition to rhetorical analysis activities, students in CCR courses may have the opportunity to share their research projects with a global audience. This could be by exchanging drafts of papers through email for international peer review, orr they could present their research presentations to students through video conference technology and then receive real-time feedback on their rhetorical techniques and research ideas. Through these activities, students learn first-hand to expand their understanding of different cultural perspectives while sharpening cross-cultural communication skills through participating in a global community. 

To learn more about how students can present their research ideas across the globe, see the following articles:

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Which courses participate in the CCR project?

Both PWR 1 and PWR 2 courses participate in the project. Some courses offer a course-long collaboration with a course in another university across the globe. In this way Stanford students work closely with students from rhetorical contexts outside the United States.

Other courses offer a one-time workshop between Stanford and one or several institutions. In these workshops, students have a chance to meet international students for small group work analyzing ads, paintings, websites, other texts and forms of writing. Students work together, discussing their views on the writing and cultural perspectives of the texts. In the process, they learn about cultural values and rhetorical situations around the globe.

When signing up for PWR courses, look for the CCR notation next to the section title.  For current course listings, visit the PWR Courses and Registration page.

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How does CCR benefit students?

Cross-Cultural Rhetoric Project students have a chance to learn to write, speak and collaborate in teams with real audiences – other students around the globe. The CCR project teaches students how to work effectively with others who hold different perspectives and ways of communicating. These skills are essential for successful participation in a global community. Students simultaneously benefit from deepening their understanding of other cultures, national values, beliefs about writing and research at other institutions and views about the world. 

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How can I learn more about communicating across cultures?

The Cross-Cultural Rhetoric Project website contains links to past courses with complete syllabi and activities. A clip library shows students how past classes navigated the rhetorical analysis of a political speech invoking God or a beer commercial using culturally-situated humor. The CCR Project website also contains links to scholarly articles that can inform students’ understanding of the current debates in communicating across cultures, intercultural theory and strategies for global collaboration.

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How do I participate?

Students interested in participating in CCR can select a PWR 1 or PWR 2 section that offers opportunities to meet and learn from students globally. Students should identify that section in their Section Preference Forms during the PWR course enrollment process. See the PWR Courses and Registration page.

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Whom do I contact for more information about the Cross-Cultural Rhetoric Project?

Interested students (or universities interested in collaborating with the Stanford CCR Project) can contact one of the following:

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