Global Encounters: An Interdisciplinary Approach to World Literature and Cultures

Global Encounters: An Interdisciplinary Approach to World Literature and Cultures provides students with a curated collection of readings, cultural artifacts, and narratives from across the globe. It examines a variety of creations over time ranging from early Nigerian myths and Sumerian epics to fully modern phenomena like Beyonce's Grammy performance and Marvel culture. The book is structured into four units, each focusing on different themes: creation myths, epic heroes, the Enlightenment, and postmodern world boundaries. The units are further divided into chapters that explore specific topics, such as Hebrew and Yoruba creation stories, the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Bhagavad Gita, Kant's Enlightenment, and the Declaration of Independence, among others. The text takes an interdisciplinary approach, broadening the scope of world literature to include non-written cultural expressions and examining how these artifacts reflect the values and beliefs of their originating cultures. Global Encounters provides students with a global perspective, encouraging them to engage with a variety of cultural productions and to develop a sense of global socio-cultural responsibility. It is an exceptional resource for courses and programs in world literature, cultural studies, and interdisciplinary humanities.