Honors 1200 & 1201, Cultural Traditions I & II
This two-semester freshman course will provide an introduction to a liberal arts approach to education while surveying Western and non-Western cultures. It introduces intellectual traditions of a wide variety of cultures through their major works of literature, religion, philosophy and art along with other historical documents and images. By examining specific works in their cultural contexts, it explores how people in different parts of the world have perceived and explained the world around them. We will compare and contrast Western and Non-Western attitudes towards such issues as the nature of reality, visions of the afterlife, the interplay of reason and emotion, and the role of humans in their social and natural environments. Our readings will include works from Europe, the Americas, the Near East, China, India, and Japan—works that have shaped how we think and structure our society today. In surveying these works, students will develop crucial academic knowledge and skills that will help them identify and analyze connections in studies across the disciplines.