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HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE
Environment and development issues are examined by looking
at market and community economy models and their respective
practices and ethical implications. A variety of field
projects are conducted in small groups to learn about
environmental and development efforts. You gain hands-on
experience through field placements in the Guatemalan
Highland. There you explore the limits and possibilities
of classroom theories and concepts in the context of
complex real-life experiences in the community. In all
these aspects you engage in dialogue with faculty, guest
lecturers, activists and community leaders. Each student
also carries out an independent study project on a topic
of personal choice, which includes hands-on field research.
THE SETTING
Guatemala has a diverse Mayan population and a rich
Hispanic tradition. It represents a unique political
arena, where a nation and a state are being created
under the guiding principles of “multilingual and
pluri-cultural” mandated by the recent Peace Agreements.
It is also a place well known for its colorful textiles
and folk art, rich ancestral ceremonies and lively local
markets.
By living short-term with a Mayan host family in the
Lake Atitlán region, students develop a critical
understanding of rural living conditions and their connection
with the urban centers. In Guatemala City, you will
stay with a host family. All meals are provided by home
stay families or through a food stipend during travel.
The field excursion to Cuba offers comparisons and contrasts
to the realities in Central America. Exploring issues
of participation, revolution, sustainability and social
change from the point of view of common people makes
for an incomparable learning experience in Cuba.
PROGRAM CREDIT
4 courses (equivalent to 16 semester hours or 27 trimester
credits).
All students take these four inter-related courses:
Social Dynamics and the Environment
The Ethics of Development: Local and Global Implications
Spanish in the Field (advanced language course)
Independent Study Project (student chooses topic)
COURSES
This program explores the impact of global development
on local culture and environment and the response of
indigenous communities and other affected groups. An
engaging interdisciplinary approach guides students
in developing a broad and interconnected understanding
of current political, economic and social conditions
in Guatemala. Fascinating comparative perspectives are
provided through study-travel to Cuba.
A “Spanish in the Field” course facilitates
significant language learning directly related to content
and field experiences across the program.
In the seminars, most lectures are in Spanish, with
discussions in Spanish and English. Readings are mostly
in English, though many can also be found in Spanish.
Group and independent projects require use of Spanish
for work in the field — interviews, reading primary
documents, etc. Papers may be written in English or
Spanish.
CENTRAL QUESTIONS
• How do different populations (post-industrial,
socialist, developing, peasant, etc.) define the relationship
between humans and their environment?
• How does the way in which each of these populations
live negatively impact the environment?
• What can we do to restore the environment?
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