Units in Cultural Studies

Lindsay--Could you post a list of the units you cover in the 10th grade Cultural Studies course so that we (English teachers) know which areas of the world you focus on in the course?
For instance, do you do a unit on Australia? ;)

Immigration Lit Circle?

For Lit., Society, and Self, Erica and I have met with some resistance when we try to teach a unit on immigration using the book Enrique's Journey. It occurred to me that we could do a lit. circle unit on immigration and broaden students' thinking about immigration, so that they begin to understand that it does not only refer to people entering the United States from Mexico. Here is my brainstormed list of potential books. Any other suggestions?

Little Bee

Kite Runner

Flesh and Blood So Cheap

Buddha in the Attic

American Born CHinese

Funny in Farsi

Shanghai Girls

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

The House on Mango Street

Dreams of My Father

No Safe Place

Unaccustomed Earth (or The Namesake or Interpreter of Maladies)

Inside Out and Back Again

Read any good world lit yet?

I just finished Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri and loved it! When I started listening to it, I didn't know it was a series of short stories (all with Indian or Indian-American protagonists), and may not have chosen to read it if I had. However, I ended up really enjoying the stories individually and as a whole. Although some contain references to drinking and/or sex, I think overall it would be accessible for high school students. Lahiri's writing is beautiful and this text lends itself to discussions of imagery/descriptive writing, as well as perspective. Themes include identity; one's relationships with parents, siblings, and spouse; dealing with loss; difficult decision making; and the journey.