The Multicultural Challenge

This book is designed to prepare students for the interactive and increasingly engaged global society. It clearly defines concepts that are central to numerous contemporary issues, all of which explain the difficulties arising from encounters with the unfamiliar. The book acknowledges and addresses many central problems facing students as they navigate through rapidly changing environments that may be familiar to some and very unfamiliar to others. Key concepts introduced and defined include culture shock, future shock, cultural relativity; examples demonstrate how students can develop their cultural literacy by expanding their visual perception. As an introductory guide, this resource alternates between similarities and differences of known and lesser-known cultures, seen from the perspectives of the student. A central theme throughout is the role that art plays as a mirror for our society. Appendices provide a series of exercises and experiments that help students understand the material being presented and, at the same time, challenge them to conduct self-evaluation. Using visual literacy as a guide, the book covers a variety of issues. In the chapters, issues such as immigration, the impact of modern technology, and the impact of postmodern art on contemporary ethics are explored and evaluated.