CCST offers a number of courses especially designed to address cross-cultural topics and methods of inquiry. All of them count for the minor, but they may be (and are) taken by students of all stripes.
Many courses from other departments count toward the minor (see the minor requirements), but here are the home-brew courses we offer:
- 2024–2025 Courses:
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CCST 100: Growing Up Cross-Culturally
From cradle to grave, a cultural lens shapes our sense of who we are. Yet, as we grow older, we also become creators of culture. This course proposes “seeing cross-culturally” to explore the ways societies view birth, infancy, adolescence, marriage, adulthood, and old age. Using fairy tales, movies, and articles, we investigate how humans talk about identity and belonging. We then discuss the myriad ways of “being cross-cultural.” First-year students interested in the Cross-Cultural Studies program are strongly encouraged to enroll in this seminar. While not required for the minor, the course will count as one of the electives.
Prerequisites:Student is a member of the First Year First Term class level cohort. Students are only allowed to register for one A&I course at a time. If a student wishes to change the A&I course they are enrolled in they must DROP the enrolled course and then ADD the new course. Please see our Workday guides Drop or 'Late' Drop a Course and Register or Waitlist for a Course Directly from the Course Listing for more information.
6 credits; AI/WR1, Argument & Inquiry/WR1, IS, International Studies; offered Fall 2024 · Cecilia Cornejo -
CCST 180: Crossing Borders: Global Contexts of Migration and Immigration
This course will grapple with the issue of immigration and migration from both global and interdisciplinary perspectives. Through several different case studies (including such regions as the Americas, Africa, Europe, and more), taught by faculty from different departments, students will gain a deeper understanding of one of the burning issues of our time. 6 credits; HI, Humanistic Inquiry, IS, International Studies, WR2 Writing Requirement 2; not offered 2024–2025 -
CCST 208: International Coffee and News
Have you recently returned from studying or living abroad? This course is designed to help you keep in touch with the culture you left behind, while deepening your understanding of current issues across the globe. Relying on magazines and newspapers in the local language or in English-language media, students will discuss common topics and themes as they play out in the countries or regions where they have lived or studied. Conducted in English. Recommended preparation: Participation in an off-campus study program (Carleton or non-Carleton), substantial experience living abroad, or instructor permission.
2 credits; S/CR/NC; HI, Humanistic Inquiry, IS, International Studies; offered Fall 2024, Winter 2025, Spring 2025 · Laura Goering, David Tompkins -
CCST 233: The Art of Translation in the Age of the Machine
In an era when AI tools can produce a translation that is indistinguishable from the work of a professional translator, what role is left for humans? In this course students study the history and theory of translation, while gaining practical experience in literary translation. Topics include the visibility of the translator, questions of identity, authority, and power, and challenges to Eurocentric traditions of translation. Students will become familiar with available translation tools and practice using them ethically and effectively in a workshop setting. The final project will be an annotated translation into English of a literary text of the student’s choice. Recommended preparation: Proficiency in a modern language taught at Carleton (204 or above). Native or near-native fluency in English.
6 credits; ARP, Arts Practice, IS, International Studies; not offered 2024–2025 -
CCST 245: Meaning and Power: Introduction to Analytical Approaches in the Humanities
How can it be that a single text means different things to different people at different times, and who or what controls those meanings? What is allowed to count as a “text” in the first place, and why? How might one understand texts differently, and can different forms of reading serve as resistance or activism within the social world? Together we will respond to these questions by developing skills in close reading and discussing diverse essays and ideas. We will also focus on advanced academic writing skills designed to prepare students for comps in their own humanities department. Prerequisites:Student has completed any of the following course(s): One 200 or 300 Level course with a LA – Literary/Artistic Analysis course tag with a grade of C- or better.
6 credits; IS, International Studies, LA, Literary/Artistic Analysis, WR2 Writing Requirement 2; offered Winter 2025 · Chloe Vaughn -
CCST 270: Creative Travel Writing Workshop
Travelers write. Whether it be in the form of postcards, text messages, blogs, or articles, writing serves to anchor memory and process difference, making foreign experience understandable to us and accessible to others. While examining key examples of the genre, you will draw on your experiences off-campus for your own work. Student essays will be critiqued in a workshop setting, and all work will be revised before final submission. Some experimentation with blended media is also encouraged. Prerequisites:Student has enrolled in any of the following course(s): Any Carleton OCS course or Non-Carleton OCS course with a grade of C- or better.
6 credits; S/CR/NC; ARP, Arts Practice, IS, International Studies, WR2 Writing Requirement 2; offered Winter 2025 · Peter Balaam -
CCST 275: I’m A Stranger Here Myself
What do enculturation, tourism, culture shock, “going native,” haptics, cross-cultural adjustment, and third culture kids have in common? How do intercultural transitions shape identity? What is intercultural competence? This course explores theories about intercultural contact and tests their usefulness by applying them to the analysis of world literature, case studies, and the visual arts, and by employing students’ intercultural experiences as evidence. From individualized, self-reflective exercises to community-oriented group endeavors, our activities will promote new intercultural paradigms in the classroom and the wider community. Course designed for off-campus returnees, students who have lived abroad, or who have experienced being outsiders. 6 credits; IS, International Studies, SI, Social Inquiry; not offered 2024–2025 -
CCST 398: The Global Panorama: A Capstone Workshop for European Studies and Cross-Cultural Studies
The work of Cross-Cultural Studies and European Studies traverses many disciplines, often engaging with experiences that are difficult to capture in traditional formats. In this course students will create an ePortfolio that reflects, deepens, and narrates the various forms of experiences they have had at Carleton related to their minor, drawing on coursework and off-campus study, as well as such extracurricular activities as talks, service learning, internships and fellowships. Guided by readings and prompts, students will write a reflective essay articulating the coherence of the parts, describing both the process and the results of their pathway through the minor. Considered a capstone for CCST and EUST, but for anyone looking to thread together their experiences across culture. Course is taught as a workshop. 2 credits; S/CR/NC; HI, Humanistic Inquiry, IS, International Studies; offered Winter 2025 · Paul Petzschmann