Former I-House director explores cross-cultural encounters in new book

Everything from lunch to laundry is fodder for cross-cultural encounters in a new book by Joseph Lurie, who served for two decades as executive director of International House, Berkeley’s 85-year old residence for students and scholars from around the world.

In Perception and Deception: A Mind-Opening Journey Across Cultures , Lurie explores surprising misunderstandings between individuals from diverse backgrounds, based on his years in the Peace Corps and at I-House, which has established an endowed doctoral fellowship in his name.

“Our age of globalization often produces polarization, so the theme is particularly relevant,” Lurie says. “Instantaneous communication increasingly is thrusting cultures together. Without preparation and context, many cross-cultural misunderstandings have confusing consequences.”

Read about Perception and Deception, and the Joe Lurie Returned Peace Corps Gateway Fellowship, in this article published by the National Peace Corps Association.