1. Canada has three official languages, South Africa has 11. What reasons might a country choose to have several official languages or none at all? Do you think the United States should have an official language?
2. What are the benefits to/problems for humankind in having many different cultures? What are the benefits/negative aspects if we assimilate into one cultural norm?
3. Toponymy is the study of place names. Look at the names of five cities or towns in your area and try to figure out where the name originates. Or, look at the names of roads on your campus or in your town. What do these names say about the history of your area?
4. Native or traditional architectural styles are a result of people's reaction to conditions of weather and climate. Select three different architecture styles, one from the tropics, one from middle latitudes, and one from an arid environment, and discuss how each one's characteristic features was developed to address a particular need.
5. Christianity and Islam both have their roots in Judaism. In what ways are the three religions similar? In what ways are they different? Both Christians and Muslims have at times denied the debt they owe to Judaism. How do you account for this?
6. Hinduism developed, and Buddhism was born, in India. In what ways are these religions similar? In what ways are they different? Why do you think Buddhism was so easily adopted in China, Japan, Korea and much of Southeast Asia?
7. The Fourth World Conference on Women held in 1995 echoed the original United Nations Charter in proclaiming the equality of men and women. Gender equality historically has not been practiced in many cultures, although some have come to accept it. What cultural processes must take place for gender equality to become a universal value?
8. The naming of places is a form of empowerment. When the Emperor Hadrian wanted to obliterate all memory of the ancient kingdom of Israel, he remained the land "Palestine," after the long vanished Philistines. Controversy over this renaming remains intense today. What does it mean when newcomers disregard the names given places by the original inhabitants? Where else have place names been changed in more recent times? Where has their work been undone? Why is this important?
