Culture surrounds us. The movies we watch, the clothes we wear, the stories we tell, and the music we listen to all contribute to our individual and collective identities. For much of human history, culture has been shaped by our local environments, but today we live in a time in which commodities, bodies, and information flow easily across borders. These global processes are shaping how we create shared meaning and make sense of the world.  We examine current issues in global culture such as the homogenizing effects of globalization, the reassertion of local identities, and the development of hybrid identities.

Learning objectives: To understand key themes and issues surrounding global cultureTo develop a critical understanding of global cultural artifacts, identities and institutionsTo conduct research on the production and consumption of global media.