Foundations of Cultural Analysis

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This course introduces global affairs students to culture as an analytic tool to interpret social differences within and across communities, from local to global. Building on insights from anthropology, sociology, history, and other disciplines, we will examine key themes in global affairs such as "development," "progress," and "policy," in light of what a culturally-informed perspective offers to our understanding of these topics. Over the semester, students will learn to identify and describe the role of cultural difference in shaping global affairs, and to analyze contemporary debates in global affairs in light of culture, power, and inequality. Finally, through independent research, students will develop their own set of critical questions to prepare for their future cultural immersion experiences and scholarship.