About the Course

In the fall of 1997, Samford University introduced an entirely new core curriculum for its undergraduate programs. Called Co-Nexus but usually referred to simply as "the Core" -- the new curriculum replaced an outdated and disparate list of general education requirements with an integrated course of study to be completed in the freshman's first two years. The intent of the new core was to get entering students on the same track, to provide essential skills and cultural literacy early on, to set high academic expectations, and generally to create an "academic culture" where students could make connections intellectually just as they make them socially.

A general element of this core is Cultural Perspectives, a two-semester introduction to the humanities. Faculty from English, history, political science, geography, and philosophy collaborated to design a course that would introduce freshmen to their cultural heritage and challenge them to think beyond that heritage--to other times, other cultures, other perspectives. As faculty from many disciplines, we decided to put our diversity to good use to create a course that is interdisciplinary yet interconnected. To that end, all sections of Cultural Perspectives share a common chronology and certain common texts, but individual teachers are free to approach the material from many perspectives.

During the first two years, the various instructors experimented with readings that complemented the common texts. Every section's list was different, yet certain works seemed to appear frequently. It seemed advisable to bring these readings together for the sake of convenience and cost. Beyond that, however, was a growing consensus among the faculty that a sourcebook is just that--a book of sources, materials which could be used in class, in research projects, and (we hope) for personal enlightenment. We do not pretend that these readings form a canon of any sort; they represent only a tiny fragment of the thousands of documents that have shaped our culture. They are, however, a starting point, an introduction to our common conversation with the past and with other cultures.

Rosemary Fisk
John Mayfield