Encountering Cultures is a composition reader that integrates issues of language and culture, domestic cultural diversity, and global cultural diversity with an unprecedented range of readings, authors, and views. The premise of the second edition, like that of the first, is that increasing cultural diversity in North America can best be understood in a global context; the 42 “Brief Encounters” and 60 full-length selections emphasize interactions across cultural boundaries of all types, both at home and abroad. The new thematic arrangement of readings and the enhanced editorial apparatus facilitate for students and instructors a comprehensive view of cultural issues and a critical thinking approach.