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What:
Environment, Economy and Community in
Latin America is a spring semester field
study and seminar program in Guatemala
and Cuba.
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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.
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When:
Late January to mid-May, 2004
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Cost:
$11,600
($12,400
for non-member schools)
Includes
tuition, lodging, food stipend, health
insurance,and field ground travel expenses.
Does not include international airfare
to Guatemala and Cuba, books, passport,
visa and personal expenses. There is an
$800 discount for studens from member
schools. Click
here for scholarship and financial aid
information.
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Prerequisites:
The equivalent of two years of college
Spanish is required. Completion of the
first year of college. The program is
open to all majors. It may be of special
interest to students in environmental
studies, sociology, economics, anthropology,
Latin American studies, or peace and justice
studies.
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Housing
and meals: 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.
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Interested?
Click
here to request more information.
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REAL-LIFE
EXPERIENCE WITH CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Guatemala has a diverse Mayan population and
a rich Hispanic tradition. It represents a
unique political arena, where a “multilingual
and pluri-cultural” nation is being created
under the guiding principles of a 1996 peace
agreement. It is also a place well known for
its colorful textiles and folk art, rich ancestral
ceremonies and lively local markets. A field
excursion to Cuba offers comparisons and contrasts
to the realities in Central America. Exploring
issues of community participation, revolution,
sustainability and social change from the
point of view of campesinos (common people)
makes for an incomparable learning experience
in Cuba.
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.
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"It' an active engagement in the
world; academic in a different, fuller
sense."
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