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Beyond Borders: Cultural Readings for Contemporary Writers, Second Edition
Randall Bass, Georgetown University
Joy Young, Georgetown University
Key Words
perspective

Perspective refers to the idea that all texts—written or visual—are to some degree subjective or express a subjective position. There is a seeing "I" that tells the reader some sort of story or argument. With some texts and images, the perspective is obvious and expected, such as an advertisement's point of view that you should buy the product. With texts that claim objectivity and scientificity, identifying and reacting to the perspective takes a bit more thought and work. Even texts such as maps that claim to be truthful representations are actually symbolic expressions just like any other kind of text; they are not the territory itself, but a seeing "I" 's symbolic rendering of that territory.  All texts are coded by a certain perspective and constructed to deliver their message in a certain way.

In Beyond Borders:  See Alan Thomas and Ben Crow, "Third World Atlas: Maps, Projections, and Ethnicity"; Jesse Levine, "The Turnabout Map of the Western Hemisphere"; and Agha Shahid Ali, "The Correspondent."

In Beyond Borders Online:  See Web Research Activities, "Virtual Tourism."

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