ABSTRACT
As noted in the Introduction, developing a global or a multiple perspective has become a central theme of many American, English and Welsh geography curricula today. In essence, this entails ‘the cultivation of cross-cultural understanding, which includes development of the skill of perspective-taking – that is, being able to see life from someone else’s point of view’ (Tye and Tye 1992). This objective fits into a broader educational pattern whereby multiculturalism and the celebration of cultural diversity have become central to the functioning of school life. Diverse cultural experiences are today promoted as an essential part of a young person’s education in an increasingly globalized world, leading to empathy and understanding between people of different cultures. Geography is frequently looked to as a subject that can help to offer diverse cultural experiences through its exploration of the variety of human life on the planet.
