Abstract

Multiculturalism is still a buzzword in the humanities and education. Through exposure to multicultural literatures, students expand their multicultural knowledge and awareness. Having a meaningful experience and understanding of multiple world cultures is to learn how to understand and appreciate the other. Cross-cultural understanding helps one to learn to intelligently accept differences which the world needs for international understanding and world peace. Using a combination of literary and practical pedagogical approaches, and real classroom experiences, the aim of this study is to explore the uniqueness of the individual and common threads that bind people together in multicultural and international literatures for children and youth, and how it can be humanistically and effectively taught in colleges and universities.