Q Prior to beginning work on this discussion forum, think back to the literary texts you have read during the course and the non-literary texts you have experienced. Reflect on which texts stood out to you the most, which you enjoyed (or didn’t enjoy), and which writers and artists you would like to learn more about. Throughout this course, you have considered how creative expression both shapes and is shaped by our individual and cultural identities. You have done this within the context of specific universal themes: traditions and customs, working lives, family and gender roles, language, cultural conflict, and environment. Many of the works you have studied, however, show that discrimination, stereotyping, and intercultural conflicts not only effect the global population, but to some very real extent, your everyday life. Think about where you see these conflicts: What do you see on television? What do you hear on the radio? What types of behaviors do you observe in the workplace and in your community? For this discussion, choose two texts, one written text and one non-written text, and discuss how those works give you a better understanding of a specific culture or region.

Q In your initial posting, answer the following questions: • How do the representations in each work deepen your appreciation of another culture? • What techniques does the author or artist use to promote this appreciation, and do they achieve dynamic, fully rendered representations of other global citizens and their regions? • Can you make any comparison of the works to examples from your own life? • Did the texts studied during the course and the class discussions cause you to see cultural difference or culture conflict in your workplace or community in a new way? Your initial post is due by Day 3 and must be at least 250 words in length.