A comprehensive course bridging two of history’s most remarkable stories of human resilience. Study how the Inuit developed ingenious survival techniques across millennia of Arctic life — from igloo architecture and sea-ice navigation to hunting strategies and oral storytelling traditions. Then journey across the Indian Ocean with Admiral Zheng He’s treasure fleets, exploring Ming Dynasty diplomacy, tributary trade networks, and the cultural exchanges that connected China to Southeast Asia, India, Arabia, and East Africa. Each module draws powerful parallels between these civilizations’ relationships with extreme environments and cross-cultural encounter.