Dilemmas of Difference: Teaching the Non-West Critically

Abstract

In this paper we reflect upon our experiences teaching a required undergraduate course on the so-called 'non-western world' at the University of Kentucky, USA. We describe the course and summarise the development of the rationale for a 'cross-cultural' component as a requirement for all students. In particular, we discuss the challenges entailed in teaching about difference in a way that engenders a critical approach to global inequalities and relations. We raise the question of how to assess our effectiveness as critical geographers in the classroom, and conclude by suggesting the need for a more open and serious debate over teaching critically.