This interdisciplinary and cross-cultural course introduces students to a variety of frameworks for understanding our interconnected world by focusing on one or more issues of global relevance today, including but not limited to conflict, revolution, and war; democracy, citizenship, and human rights; migration; and climate change. Focusing on the interpretive methods of the humanities, including critical analysis, close readings, and engagement with theoretical approaches, we will discuss the historical, social, and cultural contexts of major global movements in comparative perspective. In addition to examining literary, cultural, and media texts, the class will ask students to make connections between global and local contexts through a group service-learning project.

Provides a theoretical foundation for understanding the history, practice, and ethics of translation in a global context. Students will learn about key movements, theories, and debates in the field of translation studies, with a focus on scholarly readings that examine the role of language, literature, and culture in shaping perception and reality, and compare a variety of published translations in order to examine the role of translation in the negotiation and creation of meaning. A key facet of our readings and discussions will be a critical engagement with how global issues of power, violence, and resistance are intertwined with processes of translation. Students will be able to synthesize what they have learned by undertaking a translation project of their own, in consultation with the course instructor and faculty specialists in their language(s) of choice.