Culture and the World Economy

Perhaps the two most prominent issues in global politics today are economic crisis and cultural diversity. This community engages in an exploration of both issues simultaneously. In Cross-Cultural Communication, you’ll examine the impact of culture on perception, thought patterns, values, and beliefs to better understand the behavior of individuals in different cultures. You’ll explore cross-cultural conflict and negotiation, the relationship between dominant cultures and subcultures, and the dynamics of cross-cultural adjustment. In Macroeconomics, you’ll examine the core concepts that economists use to understand how capitalist market economies evolve. You’ll explore the ways that markets allocate resources, the reasons for the enormous expansion in economic production and consumption that has occurred over the past two centuries, the causes of inequality and poverty, the role of banking institutions in creating prosperity and crisis, and the ways that government policies can improve or worsen economic outcomes. The community will also delve into the interaction of the economic and cultural spheres.

 “The best thing about being in a learning community was the personal connection I was able to make with my classmates and my professor through the weekly events.”

- Supriya Kumar, from Mumbai, India