Interpersonal Communication Reading Group | Faculty Interest Group at Kingsborough
What is Interpersonal Communication?
Interpersonal communication is a sub-area of the larger academic discipline of Communication and in this area we think about how people communicate in two person relationships. These could be workplace relationships, friendships, romantic partnerships, family relationships between two people (e.g., you and a parent or you and a sibling). In short, most of us have been doing interpersonal communication in some form since we arrived in this world. So the question is … why should we spend time reading about and discussing something that we have been doing all our lives? The answer is just because we communicate interpersonally all the time it doesn’t mean that we are perfect at it (myself and other professors in this area included).
Why should I care about Interpersonal Communication?
This group is for anyone who has ever had an experience communicating one-to-one with another person and thought to themselves I could have: (a) said/done that differently/better, (b) been more aware/clear/perceptive/sensitive, (c) a better relationship with this person if I cared/listened/collaborated more and/or argued less, (d) a better sense of what I do and do not do well in relationships … or … (e) all of the above. If you answered (a) through (e) then this group might be for you.
When does this group meet and what do you do?
Usually this group meets four times spaced out over a semester and we spend our meetings discussing a book about an topic relevant to Interpersonal Communication. Already we have discussed the books Language Shock: Understanding the Culture of Conversation by Michael H. Agar and Liespotting: Proven Techniques to Detect Deception by Pamela Meyer.
Who is the facilitator of this group?
Gordon Young, Ph.D.
Professor, Communications & Performing Arts
Sorry, where are my manners, let me introduce myself. My name is Gordon Young and I am a Professor in the Communications and Performing Arts Department where I teach a number of Communication area courses including my favorite course Interpersonal Communication. I have been at Kingsborough since 2004 and before that I have lived in and taught Communications at universities in Maine, Illinois and also in Nova Scotia, Canada where I am originally from. In addition to teaching college I have worked in journalism and public relations, both of these are fields where good interpersonal communication skills are a must.
How do I join this group?
For more information or to join, please contact me (Gordon) by clicking on the contact tab on the welcome page.