Status: Wait List

The Cultures of India

Legal, Medical, Ethical, Cultural and Social Perspectives

Fall 2024

Wednesday Afternoon

Moderators: Jim Harvey, Michael Miller

Details

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this seminar is to gain an understanding of the various cultures that make India such a fascinating country.

DESCRIPTION:

India is a very ancient civilization with a variety of adherents following their beliefs, customs, and norms in activities such as art, music, literature, religion, family life, caste, and food. The fact that there are many choices gives India one of the most diverse populations on Earth. For example, the Indian constitution lists 22 official languages, with some more different from each other than Swedish is from Spanish. We will explore that diversity as best we can, seeking an understanding of the rich spectrum of activity that sometimes makes India hard to fathom for a Westerner. India is now the most populous country in the world, giving her power that will increasingly be felt on the world stage in arenas such as economics and geo-politics.

ROLE OF PARTICIPANTS: Participants will be asked to explore the cultures of a sub-group, give a presentation of approximately 30-40 minutes about that group, and guide a discussion.

RESOURCES:

Publications and resources will include at least one recommended book.

ABOUT THE MODERATOR: Jim Harvey was born in India and spent five years teaching at two Pakistani colleges. In addition, he has visited India several times. He has belonged to FCLIR for more than 20 years and moderated more than 40 seminars exploring other cultures. Michael Miller has led a handful of courses and served as an officer during his five years with FCLIR.