Plumbing the hivemind!

[oyceter]

1) So... does anyone have examples of sf/f books with third-culture kids, or anything resembling a third-culture kid?

A third-culture kid is basically someone who is born into one culture, raised in another, and then returns to the first culture or moves on to different cultures, thereby creating a "third culture" that is a mixture of the first two. Or something. The difference between a third-culture kid and an immigrant seems to be that last step of returning to the "original" culture and finding it foreign as well.

My one example so far is Temeraire, and that's a sort-of example.

2) Also, any examples of movies in which a white man goes into a non-white culture and saves it or somehow one-ups it? Or basically, movies set in non-white civilizations that still end up focusing on the white guy.

My current list:
- Last Samurai
- Dances with Wolves
- Kingdom of Heaven
- Glory
- Cry Freedom
- Blood Diamond
- Constant Gardener
- Geronimo
- The Last King of Scotland (critique + example of trope? Haven't seen it)
- Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (from current casting reports)
- Wind Talkers

Comments

[desdenova.livejournal.com]

Oh! here is something that fits *both* genres! Although it is embarassing to admit having read it (I was young and had no taste): Clan of the Cave Bear & sequels.

And, for the third-culture one, Dune? (It has been decades since I read it, but the general plot-shape seems to be what you're looking for.) Also: Harry Potter? Steven Brust's Vlad Taltos series might count eventually, but Brust hasn't actually *shown* us the part where he visited the Easterner lands.

I can think of a few other examples of characters living in a different culture, then returning to their culture-of-origin and feeling like they don't belong, but they don't have the "growing up" aspect you're looking for.

[oyceter]

Dune! Although from what I gather, Paul doesn't really return that much to his original culture? Unless you are talking about Alia!

[desdenova.livejournal.com]

Well, IIRC Dune ends with Paul returning to "galactic nobility" culture in a rather aggressive manner (not the usual third-culture-person approach, admittedly) and apparently taking over as emperor. The sequel (again IIRC) has much to do with him trying (not completely) to control the galactic civilization he's returned to, while maintaining his Fremen sensibilities and values as well as he can (a conflict symbolized by his two wives--women as symbolic property, yay).

(Again, the disclaimer that it has been a way long time since I actually read any of this applies.)