Communication Studies Department • Hamline University • Spring 2015 • Vol. 17 • No. 1 By Gino Terrell Communication and mu- sic are two disciplines that senior Andrew Brady has been studying at Hamline University. By applying what he has learned from these subjects to a Communication Stud- ies Departmental Honors project, he developed a research paper discuss- ing the connections between music and emotion. A chapter from this paper, focusing on emotional ties in music, was selected for presentation at the Central States Communication Association (CSCA) Conference in Madison, Wisconsin, which occurred last month. In his paper, Brady claims that music can influence which emotions people feel, and his research focuses on how film and tele- vision music scores can be used as a form of persuasion. He explains that it is possible to use com- munication concepts to analyze the use of music in television and film, and using this idea, applies communica- tion models to gauge persuasion in television and film music scores. Brady explained that a composer can construct a score to correlate with emotions portrayed in theat- rical works by matching them to musical sequences. Because complex emotions are thought to be combi- nations of emotions from particular life experiences, Brady believes that Continued on p. 8 Music and Persuasion Continued on p. 2 By Gino Terrell Long-time Communication Studies Professor George Gaetano has taught Intercultural Commu- nication at Hamline for nearly two decades. Aſter the 2015 J-term, however, Professor Gaetano says he still learns something new each time he teaches this course. Gaetano says, “My main goal is to help increase people’s under- standing of cultural practices, specifically in terms of how different cultures communicate.” e course is aimed at teaching stu- dents methods of effective commu- nication for interacting with people from different cultures. It focuses on specific cultures and involves discussion of appropriate and inappropriate communication behaviors in those cultures. Cultures addressed in the 2015 J-term course included Hmong, Somali, Japanese, Mexican, Greek, and others. Professor Gaetano has consis- tently used the textbook Inter- cultural Competence because he appreciates its focus on how to be interculturally competent. “[Inter- cultural competency] means that you have the knowledge, the skills, and the motivation in order to ef- fectively communicate with people Communicating Interculturally Andrew with the President of CSCA Dr. Leah Bryant THE COMMUNICATOR
Transcript
Communication Studies Department • Hamline University • Spring 2015 • Vol. 17 • No. 1
By Gino Terrell Communication and mu-sic are two disciplines that senior Andrew Brady has been studying at Hamline University. By applying what he has learned from these subjects to a Communication Stud-ies Departmental Honors project, he developed a research paper discuss-ing the connections between music
and emotion. A chapter from this paper, focusing on emotional ties in music, was selected for presentation at the Central States Communication Association (CSCA) Conference in Madison, Wisconsin, which occurred last month. In his paper, Brady claims that music can influence which emotions people feel, and his research focuses on how film and tele-vision music scores can be used as a form of persuasion. He explains that it is possible to use com-munication concepts
to analyze the use of music in television and film, and using this idea, applies communica-tion models to gauge persuasion in television and film music scores. Brady explained that a composer can construct a score to correlate with emotions portrayed in theat-rical works by matching them to musical sequences. Because complex emotions are thought to be combi-nations of emotions from particular life experiences, Brady believes that
Continued on p. 8
Music and Persuasion
Continued on p. 2
By Gino Terrell
Long-time Communication Studies Professor George Gaetano has taught Intercultural Commu-nication at Hamline for nearly two decades. After the 2015 J-term, however, Professor Gaetano says he still learns something new each time he teaches this course. Gaetano says, “My main goal is to help increase people’s under-standing of cultural practices, specifically in terms of how different cultures communicate.” The course is aimed at teaching stu-dents methods of effective commu-nication for interacting with people from different cultures. It focuses on specific cultures and involves discussion of appropriate and inappropriate communication behaviors in those cultures. Cultures addressed in the 2015 J-term course included Hmong, Somali, Japanese, Mexican, Greek, and others. Professor Gaetano has consis-tently used the textbook Inter-cultural Competence because he appreciates its focus on how to be interculturally competent. “[Inter-cultural competency] means that you have the knowledge, the skills, and the motivation in order to ef-fectively communicate with people
it is possible for composers to create scores that influence the audience’s feelings. To create a complex emotional mood, the composer might integrate combinations of sounds that express individual feelings, before mashing them together to intertwine multiple emotions for the audience to feel. According to Brady, his research “investi-gates the emotion that you are trying to evoke and then how you actually go about con-veying that to a listener.” He notes that “it’s taking a look at the complex emotion that you want to convey and breaking it down to its component parts and saying what makes up its original emotions.” In his paper, one of Brady’s main argu-ments is that a single measure of music can be seen as conveying a discrete emotion, pointing out characteristics that make it sound like the emotion feels. “I compare it to how we think about DNA – just four base pairs [sic]… it’s the order that they appear, the combination that they appear in that makes every piece of DNA different,” Brady said. “The same kind of thing with emotional measures of music, it boils down to six or seven individual building blocks, and what makes one song different from another [emotionally] is how you string together those particular emotions.”
Brady said that he was able to apply his learning in communication to develop a theoretical approach toward his passion for music and career goal of writing film
scores. Because of his
Communication Studies and Mu-sic double major, Brady said that he has been able to develop a theoretical approach toward
his passion for music and career goal of writing film scores. For his Music major capstone, he composed an original 50-min-ute score for Hamline Theatre’s Fall 2014 production of Macbeth. The score allowed him to try out his theory that music can be used to manipulate emotion. For ex-ample, the final fight scene required music that could evoke a feeling of agitation and simultaneously awaken a feeling of relief, since a hero was coming. To bring those emotions to life, he broke down how music could evoke individual feelings and then mixed the musical sequences to create a complex combination of emotions. In addition to having the opportunity to present his research at a national con-ference, Brady has also learned that he was accepted to the Master of Music in Scoring for Film at Berklee College of Music in Valencia, Spain.
2
Continued from p.1 “Music and Persuasion”
“I compare it to how we think about DNA – just four base pairs…it’s the
order that they appear, the combina-tion that they appear in that makes
every piece of DNA different”
Communication Studies junior Gino Terrell has been awarded one of the four Hamline’s pres-tigious Ridgway Forum Fellows this spring. In the picture, Gino with HU President Linda Hanson at the Honors Recep-tion on May 7, 2015.
In the Spotlight
Page The Communicator Vol. 17 No. 1
One of Hamline’s Finest Wins Prestigious Award
By Johannah Kneen
On November 21, 2014, one of Hamline’s own was presented with a highly sought-after award by the Communication Center’s Section at the National Communication Association Conference in Chica-go, IL. The recipient of the “Top Panel Award” is Professor Patricia R. Palmerton, Chair of our Communi-cation Studies Department. Professor Palmerton’s panel, “Planning for the Next 100 Years: Moving Communication Center Research Forward,” was chosen for the award out of many panels that were part of the 2014 National Communication Association con-ference in Chicago, IL. Professor Palmerton’s award-winning paper was titled “Working with Diverse Clientele.” The National Communication
Association holds the national conference once a year at various places around the country. Profes-sor Palmerton is a lifetime member of the Association and has attended these conferences since she was in graduate school over 40 years ago. When asked about the importance and relevance of these conferences to her, Professor Palmerton said: “These conferences are important for remaining up to date on current research, and for networking with colleagues from other institutions.” The process by which a winner of the “Top Panel Award” is chosen is quite meticulous and lengthy. For the National Communication Association conference, panels and papers are competitively selected for inclusion. They are reviewed by professional members of the relevant
division or section in a peer-review selection process. Submissions are reviewed anonymously so that reviewers do not know who wrote the papers. Typically, reviewers are asked to recommend particularly noteworthy papers or sets of papers (panels) to be considered for an award. The recommended papers then are reviewed by a second set of reviewers. These reviewers choose the top paper or panel for the award. This is how Professor Palmerton’s panel gained its title. Because of Professor Palmerton’s hard work and dedication, it is no surprise that she was honored by her peers. Hamline University congratulates her on her accom-plishments and thanks her for her contributions to the University’s esteemed reputation.
3
Page The Communicator Vol. 17 No. 14
By Sarah Sheven
Whenever I talk to my friends who are first years and sophomores, I give them one piece of advice: study abroad! It doesn’t matter where you go, just do it. I had the privilege of studying abroad in Quito, Ecuador, in the spring of my junior year. It changed my life forever. Almost a year has passed now since my adventure, and I’m still talking about it. It’s hard to articulate what it is that makes a study-abroad experience so amazing. It’s learn-ing to adopt a completely different lifestyle. It’s understanding different points of view. It’s speaking a new language. It’s the thrill of being forced out of your comfort zone. Every study-abroad program has unique characteristics. The Higher
Education Consortium for Urban Affairs (HECUA), the program I took part in, is especially impactful for participants because of its focus on community integration. HECUA is a great option to meet the needs of international journalism students, and it offers programs in countries other than Ecuador. I highly recom-mend that Communication Studies students look into HECUA. Students who go on HECUA programs do much more than sit in a classroom and hide away in a dorm. For example, all students in HEC-UA’s Ecuador program live with a host family. They are set up with an internship related to their major in addition to classes. For the intern-ships in the Latin America program, all coursework and communication are in Spanish to ensure full immer-
sion. The program has a social justice focus, and the classes emphasize learning about social and political movements in Ecuador. Participants also go on three field trips to dif-ferent parts of the country to learn about the varied landscapes and lifestyles throughout Ecuador. One of the major ways I was inte-grated into Ecuadorian society was through my internship. I interned with a community radio station called Churo Comunicación. The station’s mission is to engage youth in the media and to give a voice to marginalized ethnic groups in Ecua-dor. This was the perfect internship for me as a CIJ student. I was put in charge of launching an online fundraising project to help the radio station pay for operational costs. I translated materials from Spanish
Study Abroad in Ecuador
Page The Communicator Vol. 17 No. 15
to English to gain support from the English-speaking community, and I helped to translate resources for the project from English to Spanish. I also conducted interviews with community members and wrote an article for the radio station’s website. I was able to make connections with the people I interviewed, and I also became close with my coworkers. I made a contribution, and I made friends. When I wasn’t busy with classes and my internship, I spent much of my time exploring the markets, restaurants and discotecas of Quito. Through my various explorations, I made many Ecuadorian friends who helped to enrich my experience greatly. My number one advice to students who study abroad is: don’t be afraid to reach out to people and start conversations. An important reason why my experience abroad was so positive was that I was able to find a community among locals. Making connections with locals
is one of the biggest distinctions between going on a vacation and having a study-abroad experience. Studying abroad takes you beyond the tourist attractions and welcomes you into a new community and a new way of life.
When I came back to the U.S., I knew I would never look at the world the same way. One of the most notable perks of my time abroad was the fluency I gained in Spanish; this has come in handy in many situations--and it is an asset on my resume! I speak Spanish every op-portunity I get, and I still find myself frequently listening to salsa, bachata, and merenge music. I have kept in contact with many of the people I met during my time abroad, and I hope that one day I will be able to go back to Ecuador to see them again. Studying abroad isn’t just some-thing you do for a semester. It’s an experience that will make you reconsider many things you have always taken for granted were true. It’s a time that forces both intellectual and emotional growth that in the end makes you so much stronger. When you come back from a study-abroad trip, you feel as if you’re ready to tackle any challenge the world may throw at you.
Page The Communicator Vol. 17 No. 16
Governor Dayton’s Office Communication Internship
By Gino Terrell
Junior Mackenzie Bledsoe spent a lot of time at Minnesota’s State Capitol during the Fall 2014 semester as she interned at Gover-nor Mark Dayton’s Office. Bledsoe, a Communication Studies major and Nonprofit Management mi-nor, was encouraged to apply for the internship after her academic advisor, Associate Professor Suda Ishida, told her about it. “She said you’ve got a good shot at this, go
ahead and apply for it,” Bledsoe re-called. “I didn’t think by 21 [years old] I’d be going to press conferences for the gover-nor,” Bledsoe said. But she did. After sending in her applica-tion, Bledsoe was contacted by the Governor’s Office for an interview.
At the interview she was shocked at how quickly things moved. “They actually offered me the job on the spot at my interview,” Bledsoe beamed, reminiscing about the day of her interview. When Bledsoe started the job, she found it a little intimidating because she was the youngest in-tern. However, she learned quickly and got to know the other interns. As an intern, some of Bledsoe’s responsibilities included tracking news articles and videos of Gover-nor Dayton and archiving the data. She also transcribed his press con-ferences, wrote blogs for the web-site, attended press conferences to take photos, and was quick on her feet to respond to other requests from the Office. The Governor’s Office was es-pecially busy in Fall 2014 because of the state election. The election meant more press conferences than usual, and Bledsoe enjoyed them. She said that one of her favorite parts of the experience was her conversations with veteran polit-
ical reporter Pat Kessler from CBS network affiliate WCCO TV. Another of Bledsoe’s fond
memories is a trip to Staples with another intern after her boss dis-covered shortly before an event that they didn’t have table cards.
“I didn’t think by 21 [years old] I’d be going to press conferences
for the governor”
Photo: Mackenzie with fellow interns in the press conference room
Page The Communicator Vol. 17 No. 17
Bledsoe and her colleague came back with table cards for the guests, who included Senators Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar. She said her boss was so apprecia-tive of their effort that she gave her a hug! Bledsoe’s favorite part of the internship experience, however, was being acknowledged for her work. One example was when she took photos for the “Turkey Day” celebration. “A lot of times it’s busy there so you don’t always get that pat on the back,” she said. But after she took the photos, she said, “my boss came up to me and was like ‘these photos are really great. I can’t even decide which one to use.’” Bledsoe said that “It was really nice to hear that I was doing something that was appreciated. Just hearing those things in a really chaotic and stressful environment – is really nice to hear.” Bledsoe said she also was impressed by how many of the workers at Governor Dayton’s Office were Hamline alums. She said talking to them helped her understand that the skills and knowledge they applied in their jobs were skills and knowledge they had acquired at Hamline. Bledsoe said she’s grateful she had the opportunity to intern at Governor Dayton’s Office because she’s learned so much. “I’m really excited to take away a lot. A new insight on politics and just how much our state government does work to keep everything running,” Bledsoe said. “It’s just been a really good experience that I didn’t think I’d have by this age.”
Photo: Mackenzie at the Turkey Day press conference
Continued from p. 1 “Communicating Interculturally”
Communication Studies Department Faculty
8
who are from different cultures,” Gaetano said. To reinforce the reading in the class, Gaetano assigns sections of the reading to individual students, who present the material from their sections to the class. The students briefly summarize the as-signed material and engage the class in discussing questions about the material that they have created. In addition to the reading mate-rial, Professor Gaetano uses videos as the basis for class discussion. The videos change from term to term. In the 2015 J- term course, the class watched, discussed and wrote a reflection paper on the film “The
Color of Fear,” which focuses on racism. They also watched and discussed videos about gestures, stereo-types, and the Hmong culture. Gaetano said that these class discussions are valuable because students in the class can learn from each other and take ex-periences from their personal lives to relate
to the class material. According to Gaetano, Hamline University’s loca-tion in a diverse city and the increas-ing diversity in the U. S. add to the course’s practical value. “I think it’s more critical than ever that people understand cultural differences in terms of communication,” Gaetano said. Other assignments Professor Gae-tano uses include an assignment that asks students to interview someone of a culture different from theirs and to write a paper on how that per-son’s culture affects his or her ways of communicating. The students’ findings are shared with the class
through an oral presentation. Anoth-er assignment is analyzing intercul-tural interaction using conversation-al analysis. For the final project in this course, students choose a culture that has not been discussed in the class and research that culture. On the basis of their research, they create a dia-logue representing interaction with a person of the culture and write an analysis of the dialogue. Through the analysis, which is supported by their research findings, they explain why the person from the particular culture interacted the way he or she did. After students finish the paper, they present their research to the class. Gaetano said that in each semes-ter he teaches Intercultural Com-munication, he tries to incorporate something new in the curriculum. He does that by looking for new in-formation about cultures he has not previously explored in the class, and by inserting new material on cultures he has previously included. “I have learned more new things in teach-ing this course than in many of the courses I’ve taught over the years,” Gaetano said.
