The question of the relative value of the cultures which are compared here will not receive a single word. It is true that the path of human destiny cannot but appall him who surveys a section of it. But he will do well to keep his small personal commentaries to himself. Cultural encounters are also often appalling. But they are also interesting.
Encounters can provide moments of insight into how cultures work.
When cultures encounter each other, each culture casts a light on the other and people have a chance to reflect on the cultures in play. Cultural encounters also leave interesting historical records. The goal of this class is to teach you what we can learn from those records. So we will eschew the small personal commentaries and try to keep our eyes on the big picture. The course is divided into six case studies from around the world and from different eras.