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In the wake of recent wars and political upheavals, there is an urgent need to better understand just how interconnected are the peoples of Europe, Asia and the Middle East. In contrast to the tradition of nation-bounded historiography, this course explores what happens "when strangers meet." The problematic of cultural encounter is especially poignant in the history of art, which has long been allied to the rhetoric of nationalism. This course takes as its premise the polyvalency of cultural production and dialogue, and the fluidity of artistic movements across imaginary lines between "East" and "West." Utilizing specific instances of the partnership of politics, commerce and culture, the course navigates a range of options for understanding how peoples in one geographic region visualize themselves vis-à-vis others.

This course explores the interconnectedness of cultures across Eurasia through the prisms of visual culture and social practice. It questions historical assumptions about internally self-sufficient cultures, whether "Western" or "Asian." By focusing on transcultural practices, students will become familiar with alternatives to historically prominent paradigms of influence, cultural superiority, or colonial victimization. (Babaie/Powers)

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