NOBILITY/CIVILITY: EAST/WEST I

This interdisciplinary colloquium is designed to provide a comparative examination of core human concerns and values across cultures from the ancient to early modern period. This is a discussion-driven course that depends on a close reading of several key literary, philosophical, political, and religious texts from Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Prerequisites: one semester of Contemporary Civilization or Literature Humanities, or an equivalent course. A team-taught multicultural, interdisciplinary course examining traditions of leadership and citizenship as they appear in the key texts of early Indian, Islamic, Far Eastern, and Western civilizations. One goal is to identify and examine common human values and issues evident in these texts while also recognizing key cultural differences.