Global interdependence is a powerful fact of life. Through an exploration of societies of Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America and Europe, this Foundational Area opens the doors into varied cultures and issues that challenge a parochial understanding of the world.
Students may select courses that focus on the major issues of contemporary world politics, including management of conflict, economic competition, and environmental threats to the quality of life. Alternatively, there are courses that emphasize either a comparative or cross-cultural examination of cultures, societies, polities, and belief systems and acknowledge the importance of recognizing and overcoming cultural barriers. Finally, there are courses which focus on the dilemma of the global majority-the three-quarters of the world’s population who live in countries striving for national identity as well as economic and political development.
All courses in this area encourage a better understanding of the dimensions of experience and belief that distinguish cultures and countries from one another and, conversely, the commonalities that bind human experience together. The courses aim to stimulate awareness of the need for enhanced international and intercultural communication.
