PART I

Artifacts of our own cultures surround us. From art and music to architecture and literature, from philosophy and religion to laws and economics, we live among cultural artifacts that have deep roots.

Select the single cultural artifact that you believe best represents the culture in which you live today. Present a detailed description of the artifact, and analyze in detail how the artifact relates to the values, beliefs of the culture. Investigate and evaluate the deep cultural roots of your artifact. What historical roots allowed your artifact to come into being? Which cultural periods might have influenced its eventual development? How do you anticipate this artifact being passed to future generations? What kinds of evolutions might it undergo as culture changes? Craft an essay that addresses these points from the perspective of someone trained in the Humanities.

PART 2

Details: How can better understanding our collective cultural heritage and shared humanity across time and geographic place help us to be better stewards of a global future? What role or roles do you believe understanding cultural differences across time and throughout the world plays outside academia, if any? Support your response with specific examples or details.