Notes from the Briar Patch: Art at the Cultural Crossroads: The Case of Caravan for International Culture

In: New political science: a journal of politics & culture, Heft 38-39, S. 109-122

Abstract

Caravan for International Culture, an integrated arts-based educational program in cultural studies for elementary & secondary school students, is explored through an anecdotal history of the organization. Based on a core view of the spirituality & unity of nature, Caravan for International Culture combined five concepts: (1) the need for an apolitical presentation of cultural diversity; (2) the need for interdisciplinary classroom learning; (3) a redefinition of the classroom, teacher, & students; (4) the importance of the arts for personal growth & spiritually based learning, & (5) the importance of collaboration. Intersections between Caravan for International Culture & arts communities in Brazil & South Africa that have used innovative methods to promote their goals in the face of economic recession & ideological retrenchments are emphasized. J. Ferrari