CONN 250 | Unspoken Rules: Signs, Etiquette, and Legal Meaning in Business

This course is for students who have wondered why logos speak, why contracts cast spell-like trances, why fine print has big meaning, and why business people shake hands with one another. From trademark symbols to titles, from dress codes to codes of conduct, from legal codes to unwritten rules, the business landscape is filled with signs, rituals, and customs that signify meaning. This course examines the rich intersection of semiotics, business etiquette, and law, where we study these meaning-makers in the U.S. business world.
The course takes as its focus the sometimes-baffling language of business law and business culture, to examine both familiar and strange texts and practices through both legal and semiotic lenses. Students interrogate how meaning is constructed and conveyed, where meaning comes from, and which powers are activated, enabled, or propagated by these meanings. This course integrates collaborative activities, and oral and written communication skills. Students will leave with an introductory appreciation for semiotics, business law, and etiquette in the business environment.