Non-Western Culture (NW)

These courses will enable students to begin developing a critical understanding of the non-western world. The scope of human endeavor encompasses a wide range of responses to a shared set of universal challenges, and the responses of western civilization exist alongside and in interaction with the traditions and institutions of other cultures.

Rationale

The scope of human endeavor encompasses a wide range of responses to a shared set of universal challenges. The responses of western civilization exist alongside (and in interaction with) the traditions and institutions of myriad other cultures. A liberal arts education extends beyond a working knowledge of the foundations of the western cultural heritage to an appreciation of the repertoire of human experience and expression. Courses fulfilling this requirement will enable students to begin developing a critical understanding of the non-western world.

Goals

Non-Western Culture courses will examine traditions and institutions of cultures formed largely outside of western cultural heritage and enable students to develop a critical understanding of non-western peoples and cultures.

Explain how the course meets the goals of the Non-Western Culture requirement.

Course Criteria

A course must meet the following criteria in order to be designated as fulfilling the Non-Western Culture requirement.

Courses will address as their primary topic one or more of the following:

⛿ To include a criterion for this course, click the check box next to the number and then answer the question for that criterion.
1. A country or geographic region that has a primary cultural heritage differing substantially from the prevailing cultures of Europe, North America, Australia, and New Zealand.
  
  Explain how the course meets this criterion.
2. The indigenous peoples in traditionally-defined western countries, including courses whose primary focus emphasizes the influence, attributes, and resilience of indigenous cultures under western influences.
  
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3. Displaced, migrant, or transnational populations whose primary cultural heritage is substantially non-European, as long as the focus is on their cultural resiliency and on maintaining ties to their non-western countries of origin.
  
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4. The development of an understanding and appreciation of non-western civilizations, traditions, and worldviews, from religious, philosophical, artistic, literary, scientific, economic, or ethnic perspectives.
  
  Explain how the course meets this criterion.
Courses must meet one or more of the following criteria:

⛿ To include a criterion for this course, click the check box next to the number and then answer the question for that criterion.
1. Examine the historical, cultural, political, economic, religious, philosophical, literary, artistic, intellectual or scientific dimensions of a non-western society or societies. When possible, indigenous sources and perspectives should be included.
  
  Explain how the course meets this criterion.
2. Compare the historical, cultural, political, economic, religious, philosophical, literary, artistic, intellectual or scientific dimensions of both a western and non-western society or societies, with a primary emphasis on the latter.
  
  Explain how the course meets this criterion.
3. Focus on cross-cultural or comparative methods, theories, or analyses.
  
  Explain how the course meets this criterion.
* Courses focusing primarily on U.S. or European involvement/imperialism in non-western regions of the world do not satisfy the non-western criteria. While such courses (and others) may, as a matter of scholarly convention, be designated as non-western within specific disciplines, such courses do not necessarily meet the college's goal of introducing students to cultures significantly different from the western experience.

Learning Outcomes

Students will meet one or more of the following learning outcomes.

⛿ To include an outcome for this course, click the check box next to the number and then answer the question for that outcome.

Students will be able to demonstrate understanding of the methods and theories of cross-cultural and comparative research and analysis.

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Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to question stereotypes and ethnocentrism and to understand non-western cultures on their own terms.

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Students will be able to demonstrate understanding of individual and group identity development in response to the constraints and possibilities of a particular cultural context.

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Students will be able to demonstrate understanding of the mutual influence among western and non-western societies and traditions.

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Students will be able to demonstrate understanding of the ways in which global structures and processes shape life at the local level.

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Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to apply the critical perspective that historical and socio-economic context shape cultural, artistic, productive, technological, and intellectual endeavors.

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Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate how dynamics of power, inequality, and discrimination shape aspects of cross-cultural and international interaction.

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Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to reflect critically on the theoretical debates surrounding cross-cultural and international interaction.

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