Cultural studies course need not be required

Prior to leaving Princeton, every student should be exposed to another culture, region or country. No student earns a true liberal arts education without gaining understanding of and insight into a culture different from their own. Nonetheless, we agree with the USG's reservations about instituting a cultural studies requirement in the undergraduate curriculum and encourage the University to refrain from adding such a requirement.

As of now, there does not appear to be an urgent need for a cultural studies requirement. By definition, history, anthropology, religion, sociology and politics courses already contain a degree of cultural studies. The Registrar's office has also explicitly noted 76 courses in 28 different departments that involve "race, ethnicity and cross-cultural encounter." Although the USG's Survey on Race and Campus Life showed that 40 percent of respondents have not taken a course with a focus outside of the United States or Western Europe, the survey question itself was poorly phrased, as duly noted in the USG meeting.

Further, the term "cultural studies requirement" itself is too vague and ill defined to be understood or implemented. Most people agree that for personal and academic growth, students ought to be exposed to other cultures. However, no one course will be the silver bullet for facilitating intercultural understanding. Cultural diversity cannot and should not be so easily simplified.

This is not to say, however, that the USG or the administration should de-emphasize the importance of cross-cultural courses or programs in undergraduates' curricula. Both should continue working to encourage students to take courses exposing them to different cultures and modes of thinking. The University should also continue offering more courses specializing in "race, ethnicity and cross-cultural encounter," perhaps making them more attractive by inviting specialized and renowned professors to teach such courses.

Exposing students to other cultures and ways of life is an important and necessary goal. But instituting a cultural studies requirement will not fulfill such aspirations in the best possible manner.