The context of this paper is a strategy at a large Australian university that involves embedding a new graduate quality 'cultural competence' and lifting the profile of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, experiences and histories. It has been argued that the inclusion of Indigenous knowledges is essential for the decolonisation of our…

Describes the use of various learning methods in the Non-Western core of St. Joseph's College's interdisciplinary general education program, including extemporaneous speeches and individual role-playing exercises, extemporaneous group presentations of interviews and political demonstrations, simulation projects recreating a Chinese People's…

The development and structure of 6 interdisciplinary world civilization courses by 14 faculty at San Jose State University are described. The curriculum provides a framework for investigation of common problems facing all cultures, analysis and assessment of attempted solutions, successful and unsuccessful, and evaluation of contemporary attempts…

Combining both the Western perspective of creativity as productivity and the Eastern perspective of creativity as enlightenment, a Program for Enlightened and Productive Creativity (PEPC) for teaching inquiry was devised. The PEPC describes stages through which a student is guided to solve a problem using increasingly complex observation, inquiry,…

The contributions that women's studies programs can make to the liberal arts curriculum are considered in an essay, and descriptions of women's studies programs are presented. In the essay, "The Study of Women: Implications for Reconstructing the Liberal Arts Disciplines," Peggy McIntosh advocates a reexamination of the content and…

Perspectives on developing international understanding are considered in an essay, and descriptions of the international education at 15 colleges and universities are presented. In the essay, "Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: Slow Progress Toward International Understanding," James A. Perkins discusses barriers to change in…

In an effort to "internationalize" Illinois Central College (East Peoria, Illinois) an English professor and four colleagues wrote a successful proposal enabling them to become part of a Community Colleges Humanities Association workshop to develop courses in "primarily third-world cultures." Plans were made to develop three…

This syllabus describes a college course developed to address South Asian literature and culture with a focus on India. Suggestions for student readings and discussion, oral communication, listening, writing, and field trips are included. The empires of South Asia, its religions, social stratification, parallels of history and religion with the…

The core curriculum at Saint Joseph's College is described, along with the revision of the general education program during 1966-1969. The core program, which is integrative in structure, was adopted because it provided a means to achieve the goals of the institution, a Catholic liberal arts college. The change to the core curriculum required…

Discusses the "Epic of Sundiata" which chronicles the rise of the Empire of Mali in the grasslands of northwestern Africa in the 13th century. This work is a compelling drama that bears comparison to such other hero tales as "The Iliad" and the Arthurian legend. Includes suggested teaching activities. (MJP)

The World Civilization curriculum at Tidewater Community College was redesigned to integrate basic skills with the content assignments. The targeted skills were library reference and research, geography, reading comprehension, critical analysis, grammar usage, and creative writing and thinking. During the first semester, World Civilization…

Recommends using Chinua Achebe's novel of the 19th-century conflict between African tribal culture and English colonists in a world history class. Achebe's rich narrative, written in a graceful prose, is easily accessible to high school students. The novel replaces simplistic and abstract concepts with those more complex and concrete. (MJP)

Explores the native artwork of the Benin people and discusses how it can be used to document an African perspective to the "Age of Discovery." Portugal established trade with Benin (a small country on the west coast of Africa) in 1486. Includes illustrations and suggested student activities. (MJP)

Demonstrates how introducing students to African literature can appeal to their imaginations and encourage them to develop their insights into African culture. Outlines the procedures in a middle school class where the students are transformed into anthropologists as they read Chinua Achebe's, "Things Fall Apart." (MJP)

Presents a series of lesson plans to be incorporated into an interdisciplinary unit on Japan. Uses the five themes of geography as a framework for a broader exploration of the culture and history of Japan. Specifically addresses women and their role in Japanese society, and other cultural ideas. (MJP)