WCSU Undergraduate Catalog 2023-2024 : Macricostas School of Arts & Sciences

World Perspectives

All WP courses are listed as social and behavioral sciences general education electives.

WP 103 Chinese Culture 3 SH
A historical-cultural approach to the study of China. Topics include: the land, people, and language systems of China; the evolution of Chinese world views; thought and religions; economic and political institutions; art and literature; family structure and social life. Every semester. Competency: Intercultural (IC).

WP 104 Japanese Culture 3 SH
A historical-cultural approach to the study of Japan. Topics examined include geographic influences, major social structures, political and economic trends, education, religion and values. Every semester.

WP 105 Cultures of South Asian Civilization 3 SH
A historical-cultural approach to the study of South Asia. Course content emphasizes geography, socio-economic and political trends, and examines social values, religious traditions, cultural diversity, change and continuity of village life, urbanization and modernization. Competency: Intercultural (IC).

WP 107 Middle Eastern Culture 3 SH
A comprehensive historical-cultural approach to the study of Middle East cultures, illustrating the use of various social science concepts in gaining an understanding of the religion of Islam and Islamic culture; the role of Arabic language and literature; geography and politics; the various social classes, including the role of women; the influence of foreign powers; and the origins and development of regional movements, conflicts and crises, including the Arab-Israeli conflict. Every semester. Competency: Intercultural (IC).

WP/AAS 109 Equatorial African Cultures 3 SH
A multidisciplinary approach examining the geographical, historical and sociopolitical aspects of contemporary equatorial Africa (including East and West Africa). Topics discussed include early state formation, colonial policies, “traditional” vs. “modern” societies, and political and economic development problems. Spring semester.

WP 110 Southeast Asian Civilization 3 SH
This course offers a general introduction to Southeast Asia, including an examination of early civilizations, the spread of global religions, trade and colonization, and the struggle for independence. Competency: Intercultural (IC).

WP/AAS 113 Southern African Cultures 3 SH
Multidisciplinary approach to the study of the Republic of South Africa and its neighbors. Includes ethnography, history, economic development, the growth of Apartheid, the spreading of the South African problem to its contiguous countries and current political and foreign policy implications. Fall semester.

WP/HIS 115 Latin American and Caribbean Civilization 3 SH
This course examines the development of Latin America and the Caribbean as overlapping, though distinct regions, from before the Spanish Conquest of America to the present day. Many of the units consider a specific historical episode or era, while also posing a broader question concerning how these regions are understood in the United States. Major themes include the Conquest, Afro-Brazilian culture, popular politics in the 20th century, revolutions and revolutionary iconography, art and literature. Classroom discussion centers on the political, social and cultural elements that characterize Latin America and the Caribbean. Competency: Intercultural (IC).

WP/HIS 152 World History and Culture to 1500 3 SH
This survey course will emphasize world history in areas other than Europe and the United States. It will focus on the rise of Middle Eastern, African, Indian, East and Southeast Asian, and pre-Columbian civilization to the fifteenth century. The course will take a thematic approach, considering such topics as the rise of major religions, trade, migration, and empire. Competency: Intercultural (IC).

WP/HIS 153 World History and Culture Since 1500 3 SH
This survey course will emphasize non-American, non-European world history, considering the impact of industrialization, global slavery, and the rise of Empire after 1500. The course will take a thematic approach, considering such topics as modernization, colonialism, trade, the Two World Wars, and the Cold War. Competency: Intercultural (IC).