We use the term, negotiation space, to refer to what Mary Louise Pratt describes as contact zones, "social spaces where cultures meet, clash, and grapple with each other, often in contexts of highly asymmetrical relations of power, such as colonialism, slavery, or their aftermaths as they are lived out in many parts of the world today." (Pratt 1999) Pratt stressed the pedagogical value of examining such spaces—whether in the real world or through fictional representations—for the insights they offer into the ways cultural power operates. Contact zones may also offer models for encouraging students to reflect on what it means to negotiate their identities in a world where multiculturalism operates as much within the individual as it operates within society. To do that, they first have to become skilled at reading social situations, developing an understanding of group dynamics and cultural norms, coming away with a clear sense of who they are expected to be and what they are expected to do in different contexts.

Negotiation spaces most often emerge at borders or boundaries between cultures, whether such spaces are depicted as common grounds (places open to all) or no man's lands (spaces that are not controlled by anyone). Such spaces offer opportunities for new kinds of social relations as each member steps outside of fixed roles. The critical analysis of fiction allows us to study this process of negotiation and conflict from a safe distance, trying to understand each participant's point of view, map the sources of conflict or compromise, acquire a better grasp of where communications break down and where reconciliation is possible, and comprehend how each participant is pursuing his or her own goals. Young people often have difficulty understanding the ethics of negotiation, trying to factor in others' needs as they pursue their own self-interests. Talking through such sequences may provide opportunities for reflection. Learning to map legible worlds in fictional works may provide opportunity to rehearse the cultural observation process needed to negotiate more complex and less predictable social dynamics in our everyday lives.

An Example: Understanding a Negotiation Space in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
A sequence midway through Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End offers a rich example of a negotiation space. Much like "Midnight, Forecastle" in Moby-Dick, the Brethren Court scene involves a gathering of seamen from many different countries—in this case, pirates rather than whalers. Much like Melville, the filmmakers are interested in what the various seamen have in common and how they differ.

Their differences are expressed primarily on the level of visual details. The art director and costume designer signal different national cultures represented around the table with pirates from Great Britain, France, Spain, India, Eastern Europe, Africa, and China. Each is set apart by their clothing, jewelry, hair styles and beards, make-up, weapons and other accessories, and accents. This scene depicts multiple characters per culture, each with his own individualized style.

As we watches the scene, we may have an impulse for classification. An early moment in the film when each pirate leader must put forth a talisman allows the camera to identify national delegation and thus map the configurations around the table. These shots  encourage us to appreciate the diversity of dress and persona, even as we are invited to identify the shared aesthetic unifying each community. Subsequent shots may mix characters across the delegations, so that we are encouraged to contrast members of the different national cultures.

In a sense, the characters rely on cultural stereotypes: the Spanish pirates are hot tempered, the French pirates are flowery, and so forth. It would be difficult to communicate diversity in the pirate community if the viewer could not clearly identify different national cultures. The individualization of the characters hints at the diversity of personalities and backgrounds in any given nationality, making reducing communities to singular stereotypes difficult. The density of visual information suggests the many levels on which a culture operates rather than relies on simple distinctions between nationalities. In the context of the film, the multicultural and heterogeneous Brethren Council is read in contrast to the hierarchical and homogeneous British Navy. Pirates follow trade routes different from the governments of their countries and have different points of contact with other parts of the world.

As the scene unfolds, we witness a series of negotiations over leadership and goals as the group decides how to cope with a common threat. Negotiations repeatedly break down into chaos and violence, resulting in several deaths. The pirate leaders aggressively pursue their own self interests (as one might expect from a gathering of criminals) and are reluctant to trust each other or pursue shared goals.

The meeting unfolds as a broad parody of parliamentary rules of order, suggesting improvisation rather than convention and anarchy rather than structure. The film carefully documents  rituals and practices designed to maintain order. We see, for example, Captain Barbosa call the meeting to order by pounding on the table with a ball and chain. The use of terms like "brethren" and "colleague" throughout imply a shared identity upon which trust can be built. Each pirate leader has a token that must be brought together before the meeting can be legitimized. Several pirate leaders refer to the Pirate Codex, which determines their precedents and procedures. Strikingly, the law book is not a printed document but a scrapbook pasted together through the years. In some cases, old laws have been crossed out or scribbled over. The pirates elect a new leader through a democratic process, though voting rarely produces conclusive results  since each pirate leader typically votes only for himself. A declaration of war can emerge only after the group has agreed upon a leader, a rule calculated to ensure inaction. 

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