Fostering Critical Intercultural Competence in CLIL Classes Through Films: A Case Study at a Japanese University

Abstract

A case study is presented to foster the critical intercultural competence of students in an undergraduate course taught using CLIL-inspired methodology. Further, this study analyzes factors involved in critical intercultural competence and identifies obstacles to such competence in the Japanese context. As obstacles to critical intercultural competence, two cultural hegemonies, namely, Western imperialism and Japanese nationalism are investigated. Using an undergraduate course entitled “Comparative Cultural Studies I” at the University of Nagasaki taught in 2013 and 2014, the study considers the educational benefits of including Hollywood and Japanese cinema to assist learners overcome such obstacles. The paper outlines the objectives of the course and provides the definitions of key concepts, namely, Orientalism and Occidentalism. Based on the course design and methodology, the case study discusses the significance of using films in CLIL classes to enhance critical intercultural awareness.