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.

Confucius, Mencius, Zhuangzi and other Chinese thinkers who lived more than 2,000 years ago would argue that the contemporary Western emphasis on self-discovery (Find yourself) and self-acceptance has led you astray. See what they have to say and discuss what relevance it has for the modern world as we study how early Chinese thinkers wrestled with questions of existence, morality, and governance. No previous knowledge of Chinese philosophy and history will be assumed and no prerequisites are required. We will discuss ideas that are both historical and relevant to students' lives. What is "the Way"? How do we cultivate spontaneity? Is there a stable self? How can we be more alive? These are questions important for ancient kings but also for UMD students choosing a major, or wondering how ARHU can benefit them.

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.

Muslims and Urdu feature prominently in the Hindi cinema of Bollywood, which is centered in the cosmopolitan, coastal city of Mumbai, India, formerly known as Bombay. In Bollywood film, Urdu is the preferred language of love, duty, and sacrifice. But it is also closely associated with India's Muslim community, the largest religious minority, and with the conventions of a feudal past. This course introduces students to the methods used by scholars to understand how these films have represented the nation and its minorities.