Bridging cultures short course approaches the topic of multicultural understanding from the perspectives of various disciplines: anthropology, international relations, arts and literature, psychology, and others. In order to set the foundations of multicultural understanding, we build awareness of the impact of our own culture for our identity, while acknowledging the other axes of our identity and their relationship to culture. We explore the space of co-existing cultures and present the idea of cultural relativism. Furthermore, we focus on intercultural communication on various levels, from non-violent communication as a tool useful for any individual, to skills of cooperation in diverse work settings. We situate the topic of multicultural understanding within the context of Bosnia and Herzegovina, exploring multiculturalism in this state and focusing on peace building, but we also approach it from a large scale point of view, introducing the notion of systems of oppression, which we further explore through literature and theater. Finally, we wrap up the course with a focus on social activism in order to equip our participants with the tools necessary to act within their home communities.

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