Multicultural Studies

Our view of the world is shaped by what we see in front of us, and what we see in front of us depends largely on how we've been taught to look. By calling geography a science, experts give the impression that it's also objective, as though we can investigate foreign regions apart from our own perspective and presuppositions.

While the world would be much more peaceful if this was true, the divisions caused by man's selfishness and rebellion preclude such a possibility. This doesn't mean by any stretch that studying geography is therefore useless, however. Far from it: the only way to reach across the walls of suspicion, fear, and prejudice is to truly understand other cultures, societies, and peoples.

Geography is, of course, more than the study of people and cultures. It involves the study of the earth itself, weather patterns and climate, habitability, etc. Yet, without an understanding of the human factor such information, while interesting, hardly constitutes a discipline of much interest to anyone but specialists and professionals.

As our world gets smaller and bold lines are blurred, the need for average citizens to be educated about geography increases. Not only are we confronted with intercultural relationships on a personal level, our jobs, education, and religious life now depend on our ability and willingness to interact sympathetically with those from backgrounds different from our own.

Studying geography by its various regions gives us the opportunity to see behind our neighbors' and coworkers' behavior, to look into their context and respond to them accordingly. As we look at regions and the peoples who inhabit them, we see more clearly the interplay of the land itself and the cultures of which it is the home.

Looking into other regions of the globe—whether by continent, country, or ecosystem—is also fun, and a bit like traveling. Books and maps are no substitute for getting the dust of Morocco on your boots or standing on a frozen fjord, but they will broaden your borders far more substantially than watching TV or playing video games.

The books you'll find here are of the resource variety; geography curriculum is found elsewhere. This is probably one of the most important but most overlooked areas of study for many homeschool families, and we'd like to encourage you with the availability and affordability of materials. Plus, this is one subject a lot of kids are drawn into by sheer curiosity, so simply providing the books for them may be all you need to do.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.
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13 Items found Print
Active Filters: Perfectbound, New Books & Materials
Ancient Israelites and Their Neighbors
by Marian Broida
from Chicago Review Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Ancient Israel (Location: HISW-ANIS)
$18.95
Anno's China
by Anno
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 1st-4th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$14.95
Birrarung Wilam
by Aunty Joy Murphy & Andrew Kelly, illustrated by Lisa Kennedy
from Candlewick Press
for Preschool-2nd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.99
Creative God Colorful Us
by Trillia Newbell, Paintings by Chase Williamson
from Moody Press
for 3rd-7th grade
in Diversity & Multicultural Books (Location: HISMC-MUL)
$12.99
Explore Medieval Kingdoms
by Terry Johnson
Revised from Master Books
for 6th-7th grade
in Geography Curriculum (Location: GEO-CUR)
$39.19
Material World
by Peter Menzel
from Sierra Club Books
for 7th-Adult
in Diversity & Multicultural Books (Location: HISMC-MUL)
$32.00
Our Northwest Heritage
by Richard M. Hannula
2nd edition from Sound Summit Books
for 7th-12th grades
in Pacific States (Location: HISV-PNW)
$36.95
Our Northwest Heritage - Teacher's Supplement CD-ROM
by Richard M. Hannula
from Sound Summit Books
for 7th-12th grades
in Pacific States (Location: HISV-PNW)
$22.95
Roman News
by Andrew Langley, Philip De Souza
from Candlewick Press
for 4th-8th grade
in Ancient Rome (Location: HISW-ANRO)
$7.99
Story of California
by May McNeer, illustrated by C. H. DeWitt
from Beautiful Feet Books
for 5th-8th grade
in California State (Location: HISA-19CGR)
$15.95
Tea With Milk
by Allen Say
from Houghton Mifflin
for 1st-3rd grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$7.99 $5.00 (1 in stock)
Usborne Ancient World
Usborne Internet-Linked
by Fiona Chandler & Anne Millard
from Usborne
Ancient History Reference for 4th-8th grade
in Ancient History (Location: HISW-ANC)
$13.49 $8.10 (2 in stock)
Who Was Julius Caesar?
by Nico Medina
from Penguin Random House
for 3rd-6th grade
in Who Was? biographies (Location: BIO-WHO)
$5.99