ECE Lyceum II: The Danger of a Single Story: Narratives, Memory, and Identity

The Danger of the Single Story is a yearlong interdisciplinary program that invites Evergreen-Tacoma students to critically examine how the cultural worldviews they hold in their personal, professional, economic, and social lives are shaped by powerful narratives, both seen and unseen. These stories, repeated across media, policy, education, and social structures, shape how we see ourselves and others. This course is exploratory and an entry-level interdisciplinary program for students working in various fields or for those wishing to pursue professional or graduate work in community studies, environmental studies, health, government, law and policy, social justice, restorative practice, management in public interest, cultural and media studies, and early childhood education. In the Fall, students will explore how cultural narratives have influenced their identities, beliefs, and decisions. Through close reading, discussion, and media analysis, we will ask Why and How some stories are elevated while others are silenced, and how this imbalance impacts our cultural perceptions and life functioning. In addition, students will write a memoir reflecting on a moment when they made a cultural shift and analyze how that experience reshaped their understanding of self, community, and society. The essential question for Fall is: What are the dominant narratives that have shaped our views, and how do they influence the choices we make?