Dehumanizing Communication Reified among Undergraduates and Lecturers: Issues and Suggestions

Duvie Adanma Nnekwu, Modebelu Melody Ndidi

Abstract


This paper discusses dehumanizing communication reified among undergraduates and t lecturers. Dehumanization is the act of degrading people with respect to their best qualities and denial of humanness to others. On the other hand, communication is human interaction and learning. Communication becomes rude when it is deliberately directed resulting in dehumanizing communication. The paper, therefore, examines dehumanizing communication in terms of its being intentional and unintentional and dehumanizing communication between lecturers and students and among students. It also took a swipe on the effects of dehumanizing communication on students and lecturers as well as proffer solutions to mitigating effect of dehumanizing communication between lecturer and students and among students. The suggested solutions among others include inter-group dialogue programme among contending groups in the student community, establishment of multicultural centers on campus in order to bring contending groups together (i.e. lecturers and students of all races and ethnicity). A compulsory course on “pedagogy of positiveness” is also recommended in the university curriculum to instill in the students the value of respecting people who may be different.

Keywords: Dehumanization, Intentional and Unintentional Communication, Reified, Lecturers, Undergraduates, Teaching and Learning, Classroom


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References


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