Cross-Cultural Studies
In our courses, Cross-Cultural Studies means comparing and contrasting two or more cultures in order to identify phenomena that are more universal or more culturally specific, as well as examining outcomes when two or more culturally different groups interact. In the minor, we engage in both trans-cultural and intercultural work through a blend of personal experience, reflection, theory, and analysis.
Requirements for the Cross-Cultural Studies Minor
The minor consists of a minimum of 36 credits, at least 12 of which are at the 200 level, distributed across the following categories (with no courses applied to more than one category):
- a. Seeing and Being Cross-Cultural (minimum of 6 credits):
- b. Reflecting on Cross-Cultural Experience (minimum of 4 credits):
- CCST 208 International Coffee and News
- CCST 270 Creative Travel Writing Workshop (not offered in 2023-24)
- CCST 275 I'm A Stranger Here Myself
- IDSC 103 Student Conversations about Diversity and Community
- IDSC 203 Talking about Diversity
- c. Principles of Cross-Cultural Analysis (minimum of 12 credits, no more than 6 from any one program):
- CCST 180 Crossing Borders: Global Contexts of Migration and Immigration (not offered in 2023-24)
- CCST 233 The Art of Translation in the Age of the Machine
- CCST 245 Meaning and Power: Introduction to Analytical Approaches in the Humanities
- CCST 275 I'm A Stranger Here Myself
- GWSS 398 Race, Gender, and Sexuality in Popular Culture
- POSC 120 Democracy and Dictatorship
- POSC 215 Comparative Political Communication: News Coverage of Elections (not offered in 2023-24)
- POSC 247 Comparative Nationalism (not offered in 2023-24)
- POSC 358 Comparative Social Movements (not offered in 2023-24)
- PSYC 248 Cross-Cultural Psychology
- PSYC 358 Cross-Cultural Psychology Seminar in Prague: Cross-Cultural Psychopathology (not offered in 2023-24)
- RELG 300 Theories and Methods in the Study of Religion
- SOAN 330 Sociological Thought and Theory
- SOAN 331 Anthropological Thought and Theory
- d. Cross-Cultural Encounters (minimum of 12 credits): Can include, with approval of director, any course dealing substantively with the intersection of two or more cultures—including but not limited to:
- CAMS 218 Contemporary Global Cinemas (not offered in 2023-24)
- ENGL 238 African Literature in English
- ENGL 250 Indian Fiction 1880-1980 (not offered in 2023-24)
- ENGL 251 Contemporary Indian Fiction
- ENGL 252 Caribbean Fiction (not offered in 2023-24)
- ENGL 350 The Postcolonial Novel: Forms and Contexts (not offered in 2023-24)
- FREN 206 Contemporary French and Francophone Culture
- FREN 243 Food in French Fiction
- FREN 244 Contemporary France and Humor
- FREN 245 Francophone Literature of Africa and the Caribbean (not offered in 2023-24)
- FREN 255 French and Francophone Studies in Paris Program: Islam in France: Historical Approaches and Current Debates
- FREN 259 French and Francophone Studies in Paris Program: Hybrid Paris
- FREN 330 Bodies and Borders: Encountering the other in Medieval French
- FREN 350 Middle East and French Connection (not offered in 2023-24)
- FREN 359 French and Francophone Studies in Paris Program: Hybrid Paris
- FREN 360 The Algerian War of Liberation and Its Representations
- HIST 141 Europe in the Twentieth Century (not offered in 2023-24)
- HIST 165 A Cultural History of the Modern Middle East
- HIST 184 Colonial West Africa (not offered in 2023-24)
- HIST 232 Renaissance Worlds in France and Italy (not offered in 2023-24)
- HIST 254 Migration in Asia-Pacific History
- HIST 260 The Making of the Modern Middle East
- HIST 264 A History of India Through Food
- HIST 266 History of Islam in South Asia (not offered in 2023-24)
- HIST 267 Muslims and Modernity (not offered in 2023-24)
- HIST 270 Nuclear Nations: India and Pakistan as Rival Siblings (not offered in 2023-24)
- HIST 281 War in Modern Africa (not offered in 2023-24)
- HIST 360 Muslims and Modernity (not offered in 2023-24)
- MELA 230 Jewish Collective Memory (not offered in 2023-24)
- POSC 215 Comparative Political Communication: News Coverage of Elections (not offered in 2023-24)
- POSC 238 Sport and Globalization in London and Seville Program: Globalization and Development: Lessons from Int'l Football
- POSC 247 Comparative Nationalism (not offered in 2023-24)
- POSC 265 Public Policy and Global Capitalism
- POSC 267 Comparative Foreign Policy (not offered in 2023-24)
- POSC 268 Global Environmental Politics and Policy
- POSC 294 Central and Eastern European Politics Program: Perceptions of Otherness in Modern Eastern and Central Europe (not offered in 2023-24)
- POSC 295 Central and Eastern European Politics Program: Nation-Building in Central and Eastern Europe between Politics and Art (not offered in 2023-24)
- POSC 296 Central and Eastern European Politics Program: Challenges to the Nation-State in Eastern and Central Europe: Immigrants and Minorities (not offered in 2023-24)
- POSC 348 Strangers, Foreigners and Exiles (not offered in 2023-24)
- POSC 358 Comparative Social Movements (not offered in 2023-24)
- RELG 100 Christianity and Colonialism
- RELG 110 Understanding Religion
- RELG 155 Hinduism: An Introduction (not offered in 2023-24)
- RELG 213 Religion, Medicine, and Healing (not offered in 2023-24)
- RELG 222 Trauma, Loss, Memory: Holocaust and Genocide
- RELG 227 Liberation Theologies (not offered in 2023-24)
- RELG 234 Angels, Demons, and Evil
- RELG 237 Yoga: Religion, History, Practice
- RELG 254 Zen Buddhism (not offered in 2023-24)
- RELG 287 Many Marys (not offered in 2023-24)
- RELG 289 Global Religions in Minnesota
- RUSS 205 Russian in Cultural Contexts
- RUSS 228 Russian at a Cultural Crossroad Program: Dialogues in the Russophone World (not offered in 2023-24)
- RUSS 293 Advanced Russian Skill Development (not offered in 2023-24)
- SOAN 108 In & Out of Africa: How Transnational Black Lives Matter (not offered in 2023-24)
- SOAN 256 Africa: Representation and Conflict (not offered in 2023-24)
- SPAN 209 Radio and News in Spanish (not offered in 2023-24)
- SPAN 242 Introduction to Latin American Literature (not offered in 2023-24)
- SPAN 345 Culture, Capitalism and the Commons (not offered in 2023-24)
- e. Capstone (2 credits). CCST 398: Cross-Cultural Panorama: A Capstone Workshop. After participating in selected co-curricular activities, students will curate work from their CCST courses and experiences in an instructor-guided e-portfolio, including a reflective essay. (Other capstone options may be approved by director.)
Participation in at least one OCS program, while not required, is strongly encouraged. Courses from OCS programs may be applied to categories A through E, with approval of the director (and subject to rules of the Registrar).
Cross-Cultural Studies Courses
CCST 100 Cross Cultural Perspectives on Israeli and Palestinian Identity How have Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel shaped their senses of personal and collective identity since the early twentieth century? We will explore mental pictures of the land, one's self, and others in a selection of Israeli Jewish and Palestinian short stories, novels, and films. We will also explore some of the humanistic roots of U.S. involvement in Israeli-Palestinian relations today, particularly in the realm of American initiated bi-cultural youth camps such as Seeds of Peace. Students will enrich our class focus by introducing us to perspectives on Israel/Palestine in their home countries or elsewhere. In translation. 6 credits; AI, WR1, IS; Fall; Stacy N Beckwith
CCST 100 Growing up Cross-Culturally First-year students interested in this program should enroll in this seminar. The course is recommended but not required for the minor and it will count as one of the electives. From cradle to grave, cultural assumptions shape our own sense of who we are. This course is designed to enable American and international students to compare how their own and other societies view birth, infancy, adolescence, marriage, adulthood, and old age. Using children's books, child-rearing manuals, movies, and ethnographies, we will explore some of the assumptions in different parts of the globe about what it means to "grow up." 6 credits; AI, WR1, IS; Fall; Stephanie M Cox
CCST 180 Crossing Borders: Global Contexts of Migration and Immigration This course will grapple with the issue of immigration and migration from both global and interdisciplinary perspectives. Through several different case studies (including such regions as the Americas, Africa, Europe, and more), taught by faculty from different departments, students will gain a deeper understanding of one of the burning issues of our time. 6 credits; HI, WR2, IS; Not offered 2023-24
CCST 208 International Coffee and News Have you just returned from Asia, Africa, Europe, or South America? This course is an excellent way to keep in touch with the culture (and, when appropriate, the language) you left behind. Relying on magazines and newspapers around the world, students will discuss common topics and themes representing a wide array of regions. You may choose to read the press in the local language, or read English-language media about your region, meeting once each week for conversational exchange. (Language of conversation is English.) Prerequisite: Participation in an off-campus study program (Carleton or non-Carleton), substantial experience living abroad, or instructor permission. 2 credits; S/CR/NC; HI, IS; Fall, Winter, Spring; Luciano H Battaglini, Laura Goering, Ken B Abrams
CCST 233 The Art of Translation in the Age of the Machine In an era when AI tools can produce a translation that is indistinguishable from the work of a professional translator, what role is left for humans? In this course students study the history and theory of translation, while gaining practical experience in literary translation. Topics include the visibility of the translator, questions of identity, authority, and power, and challenges to Eurocentric traditions of translation. Students will become familiar with available translation tools and practice using them ethically and effectively in a workshop setting. The final project will be an annotated translation into English of a literary text of the student’s choice. Prerequisite: Proficiency in a modern language taught at Carleton (204 or above). Native or near-native fluency in English. 6 credits; ARP, IS; Winter; Laura Goering
CCST 245 Meaning and Power: Introduction to Analytical Approaches in the Humanities How can it be that a single text means different things to different people at different times, and who or what controls those meanings? What is allowed to count as a “text” in the first place, and why? How might one understand texts differently, and can different forms of reading serve as resistance or activism within the social world? Together we will respond to these questions by developing skills in close reading and discussing diverse essays and ideas. We will also focus on advanced academic writing skills designed to prepare students for comps in their own humanities department. Prerequisite: At least one 200- or 300-level course in Literary/Artistic Analysis (in any language) or instructor permission. 6 credits; LA, WR2, IS; Winter; Seth E Peabody
CCST 270 Creative Travel Writing Workshop Travelers write. Whether it be in the form of postcards, text messages, blogs, or articles, writing serves to anchor memory and process difference, making foreign experience understandable to us and accessible to others. While examining key examples of the genre, you will draw on your experiences off-campus for your own work. Student essays will be critiqued in a workshop setting, and all work will be revised before final submission. Some experimentation with blended media is also encouraged. Prerequisite: Students must have participated in an off-campus study program (Carleton or non-Carleton) or instructor permission. 6 credits; ARP, WR2, IS; Not offered 2023-24
CCST 275 I'm A Stranger Here Myself What do enculturation, tourism, culture shock, "going native," haptics, cross-cultural adjustment, and third culture kids have in common? How do intercultural transitions shape identity? What is intercultural competence? This course explores theories about intercultural contact and tests their usefulness by applying them to the analysis of world literature, case studies, and the visual arts, and by employing students' intercultural experiences as evidence. From individualized, self-reflective exercises to community-oriented group endeavors, our activities will promote new intercultural paradigms in the classroom and the wider community. Course designed for off-campus returnees, students who have lived abroad, or who have experienced being outsiders. 6 credits; SI, IS; Winter; Éva S Pósfay
CCST 398 The Global Panorama: A Capstone Workshop for European Studies and Cross-Cultural Studies The work of Cross-Cultural Studies and European Studies traverses many disciplines, often engaging with experiences that are difficult to capture in traditional formats. In this course students will create an ePortfolio that reflects, deepens, and narrates the various forms of experiences they have had at Carleton related to their minor, drawing on coursework and off-campus study, as well as such extracurricular activities as talks, service learning, internships and fellowships. Guided by readings and prompts, students will write a reflective essay articulating the coherence of the parts, describing both the process and the results of their pathway through the minor. Considered a capstone for CCST and EUST, but for anyone looking to thread together their experiences across culture. Course is taught as a workshop. 2 credits; S/CR/NC; HI, IS; Winter; Paul Petzschmann