What happens at the borders of racial, ethnic, class cultural, religious or disciplinary difference when people try to read each other or read the world? We know that these cultural differences help shape the discourses we use, that is, our ways of talking and writing, of building what we see as reasonable interpretations or good arguments. So how do we take the next step? How do we enter into an intercultural dialogue and inquiry with others and actually talk across difference? In this course we will explore how culturally charged issuessuch as identity, individualism, authority and education--are represented within different racial, social, and cultural communities and discourses.. This is a course about reading, writing, thinking and doing where you get to put ideas into practice. You will be learning a variety of strategies not only for reading the world but for engaging in intercultural dialogue and collaborative interpretation with others on issues Carnegie Mellon students face.
