Please check back for open projects during the Summer.

Fall Application deadline Friday, September 12, 2008. Applications will not be accepted utnil the start of Fall Semester 2008.

NEW: Information for Parents

Off-Campus Study & Service Projects

Winter Term off-campus study and service projects, led by DePauw faculty members, offer an excellent opportunity for students to explore and experience another culture, to learn in a new environment, to develop a skill not readily available in any other manner, or to perform service while deepening their awareness of the global community.  

Recruitment for Winter Term 2009 Off-Campus Projects will begin in mid-March and continue early in the Fall Semester. Fall applications for participation will be accepted at the beginning of Fall Semester 2008 until September 12 at 4:30 pm. Students should direct project-specific questions to the sponsoring Faculty Leaders.  

All students, including First Years, are encouraged to apply for open projects. Students who have previously applied and were not enrolled in a project, but still want to participate in a Winter Term 2009 Off-Campus project, must re-apply. Application materials will be available on the Forms and Documents page in mid-March. International travel requires a valid passport; if you do NOT have a valid passport, you must apply now if you are considering applying to a project.  

Please note: All project costs listed are subject to change. Final costs per student will be available in September.

DOMESTIC PROJECTS 2009

INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS 2009

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404 Two Billion Years of Earth History Along the Colorado River Corridor
(May Project)
Scott Wilkerson, Julian 217 , E-mail: mswilke
Fred Soster, Julian 216, E-mail: fsoster

John Wesley Powell, who led the first expedition in May 1869 down the Colorado River to explore unmapped regions of the Colorado Plateau, wrote “…the thought grew in my mind that the canyons of this region would be a Book of Revelations in the rock-leaved Bible of Geology.  The thought fructified, and I determined to read the book.”  Participants in this Winter Term, like Powell before them, will investigate two billion years of geologic history of the Utah and Arizona area as revealed by erosion due to the Colorado River and its tributaries.  Our 16-day trip in late May/early June 2009 will effectively trace a significant part of the lower half of Powell’s journey that includes Arches National Park (NP), Canyonlands NP, Monument Valley, Goosenecks of the San Juan River State Park, Glen Canyon Dam/Lake Powell Recreation Area, Grand Canyon NP, Sunset Crater National Monument, and Petrified Forest/Painted Desert NP (among others) to promote conversations about the origin and evolution of the rocks and landforms in the region and the geologic processes that created and sculpted them. Highlights of the trip include a 3-day whitewater rafting trip down the Colorado River from Moab, UT to Hite, UT (through remote parts of Canyonlands NP), and an overnight hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back.  Students also will participate in interdisciplinary discussions on the cultural history of the region (e.g., Anasazi and Fremont cultures), on societal and political impacts affecting the region (with emphasis on the development of the park and recreational areas, including Glen Canyon Dam/Lake Powell), and on books written about the region by noted naturalist authors, John Wesley Powell(The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons)and Phillip L. Fradkin (A River No More, The Colorado River and the West).  Students will be expected to keep an annotated thematic photo journal of their daily observations in which they describe the landforms/features that they see.  The minimum level of performance will be active and enthusiastic participation in all field activities, and an increased understanding of the geology of the Colorado River Corridor as evidenced in their journals at the end of the trip.

This course includes a significant amount of physical exertion.  Activities include but are not limited to long-hikes, whitewater rafting, swimming, camping, and climbing around rock formations.  Students must be prepared to participate in all project activities.

Student costs does not include the cost of any on-campus housing. On-campus housing rates will be published at a later date.

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440 Putnam County – Exploring Socio-Economic Conditions in Putnam County Through Service (WTIS)
Bob Hersberger, East College 120, hersh
Doug Harms, Julian 264, dharms

This trip will be a service learning experience with two overarching goals: 1) learn first-hand the realities of earning a living wage in Putnam County, and 2) develop an appreciation between DePauw students and residents of Greencastle and Putnam County, particularly people with whom many DePauw faculty and students may not normally interact.  During January each team member (students and faculty) will pledge to live on a living wage of $350 per week during the experience.  (According to WalMart their average employee earns slightly less than $350 per week.)  Team members will pledge to not accept food, drinks, rides, etc. from anyone not on the team.

During January all participants will spend a significant portion of each day volunteering at various service projects in the Greencastle/Putnam County area.  Service projects will be tailored to the interests and skills of the students and the needs of Putnam County, with possibilities including volunteering at the A-Way Home shelter, the Humane Society, the senior center, Habitat for Humanity, and working with the Community Technology Enrichment Program (CTEP) to provide technology and education to the local community.

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400 Ghost Ranch
Steven Timm, Communications and Theatre, stimm
Ron Dye Locust Faculty Office Building, Rm A, rdye

Located in the beautiful and isolated mountains of Northern New Mexico--the inspiration for painter Georgia O'Keefe--Ghost Ranch affords students the unique opportunity for three full weeks of complete immersion in a rich, multi-faceted cultural experience, and intensive study with talented faculty in one of the following courses: Black and White Landscape Photography; Painting Intensive; Southwest Pottery; Creative Writing; Silversmithing; An Inner Journey: Still the Mind, Open Your Heart; Outdoor Adventures; and Service Learning in the Southwest. Students will have opportunities to meet with area residents and artisans, medicine men, monks, ranchers and local personalities (Teo Manzanares--Georgia O'Keeffe's driver--usually speaks to students during WT). In addition to the courses listed above, students will participate in a variety of cultural excursions: visits to Native American pueblos, Bandelier National Monument and Chaco Canyon (ancient homes of cliff-dwelling Native Americans, ) Los Alamos (home to the first nuclear weapon), natural hot springs, and other sites exploring the natural and human history of the area. Optional excursions include skiing in Taos or Wolf Creek, Colorado, shopping/site seeing in Santa Fe, and hiking in the 20,000+ acres surrounding the ranch. This year Ghost Ranch will extend learning opportunities to Plaza Resolona in historic Sante Fe where students will live and study in the city over winter term, and take full advantage of the many museums, galleries, and restaurants. Course offerings in Sante Fe include Restorative Justice, Museum Studies and Art History, and Cartooning and Contemporary Illustration.

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406 Working in the Arts: The New York Experience
Gigi Fenlon, Communication and Theatre, gfenlon

Working in the Arts: The New York Experience will introduce students to a viable approach for getting established in an arts career in a major city, giving them the added unique opportunity to make connections in the New York City arts world even before graduation.

Students enrolled in the study program will be matched to a three-week long internship in their specific area of interest; attend regular seminars conducted by professionals in the visual, creative and performing arts fields; and explore the vast cultural opportunities the city offers attending museums and galleries, literary readings, theatre and dance performances, music and opera events, and more.  At the same time, students will be required to dabble in the practical skills of living in a large city:  to use mass transit, to navigate neighborhoods, to know directions and landmarks, to maintain a budget, and to negotiate the pace and diversity of big city life.

This study project is limited to 12 students.

Preference will be given to students demonstrating a strong interest in pursuing a career in or associated with the creative and performing arts.  Priority will be given to juniors and seniors.  Applicants must submit a resume with application that addresses arts career aspirations.  Applicants under consideration are required to interview with the faculty sponsor. 

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402 Sundance and Slamdance Film Festivals
Peter Graham, Asbury Hall, Rm 19, pgraham
Lili Wright, Asbury Hall, Rm 324, liliw

Every year in January, thousands of filmmakers, screenwriters, actors, agents and producers make a winter pilgrimage to Park City, Utah, for two of America's most important and prestigious film festivals: The Sundance and Slamdance Film Festivals. If Hollywood is the Mecca of slick, multi-million dollar studio movies, then Park City is the homeland for independent film.
This Winter Term class will give students a working vocabulary to talk and write about film. Class will begin in Greencastle with a crash course in the history of independent film. Then we'll fly to Park City, Utah, where students will see at least 10 movies and write film reviews on at least two of them. There will be a wide variety of films shown at the festivals—from feature films, dramas and documentaries, to foreign films, animation, and shorts. Student will also attend and report on film workshops, conferences and technology seminars; and,will interview at least one professional filmmaker or actor and write a short profile. Finally, throughout the trip, students will keep a journal of their impressions of the festival, notes from symposiums, panels, and interviews with people they meet.

No prerequisites for the course except love of film (especially independent film)

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502 The Labyrinths of Buenos Aires: A Study of Multiculturalism
Aaron Dziubinskyj, East College, Rm 216, adziubin
Maria Forcadell, East College, Rm 124, soledadforcadell

Buenos Aires is the third largest city in Latin America.  Its colonial and modern architecture, diverse neighborhoods, traditions, and of course, its rich culture define it as a multifaceted urban center.  Within the context of Buenos Aires these elements are interrelated, producing an experience that is uniquely “porteño” (an adjective derived from the Spanish word for “port” that describes all things related to Buenos Aires).  The importance of Buenos Aires as a port city defines its international character: the wave of immigrants during the 19th and early 20th centuries established Buenos Aires as a gateway to South America.  In this way, immigration brought cultures and traditions into contact with existing ways of life, forever transforming Buenos Aires as a cultural melting pot.

This project will combine the academic experience of guided visits to the neighborhoods, museums, cafes, plazas, etc., of Buenos Aires, with an ethographic / flâneur-like adventure.  Jorge Luis Borges’s ethnographer finds personal fulfillment not in learning the secret of life from an indigenous tribe, but in the experiences that led to the moment of revelation.  Likewise, Walter Benjamin’s flâneur is a philosophical and reflexive traveler whose destiny is to be consumed by the sights and sounds of the country.  Ultimately, both seek to detach themselves from any cultural preconceptions, to reflect on what they observe in order to become a part of what they see, and to make what they experience a part of themselves.  Shaped by these ideas, this project will include walking tours of the important porteño neighborhoods, including Palermo, La Boca, San Telmo, Recoleta, Microcentro, el Once, Puerto Madero, and Villa Lugano (a slum on the outskirts of the city), as well as a day-long excursion to the Tigre national park that lies to the north of Buenos Aires.  Each neighborhood has a distinct quality that distinguishes it from the rest of the city.  La Boca, for example, is the part of the city historically linked to Italian immigration and the birth of the Tango. 

In consultation with the faculty advisors, students will complete an academic project of their own design that will allow them to experience different aspects of Buenos Aires, including language, urban organization, and cultural institutions.  Because successful completion of this project will depend on each student’s ability to move about the city in small groups, students who have completed at least four semesters, or the equivalent, of college-level Spanish should consider applying.  However, this is not an absolute requirement, and we welcome applications from all students interested in this project.

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532 Chamber Orchestra: Franz Josef Haydn Celebration 2009
Orcenith Smith, School of Music, Green Center for the Performing Arts, osmith
Nicole Brockmann, School of Music, Green Center for the Performing Arts, nicolebrockmann
Lennie Foy, School of Music Green, Center for the Performing Arts, lfoy

The DePauw chamber symphony will be participating in the world celebration of the Franz Josef Haydn year 2009 with a concert tour to Austria during January of 2009. Concerts will be in at least Vienna, Salzburg, and Eisenstaedt (Haydn’s own concert hall in the Esterhazy palace).

Auditions for the DePauw chamber symphony will take place during the fall orchestra auditions, august 2008.   The chamber symphony personnel, members of the university orchestra, will also function in chamber orchestra configuration during the fall semester performing on university orchestra concerts.  The chamber symphony will rehearse during winter term prior to departure to Austria; upon return from Austria, the DePauw chamber symphony will continue to rehearse and then perform at the IMEA/north central MENC convention in Indianapolis.

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540 Bahia, Brazil (WTIS)
Marcelle McVorran, Asbury Hall, Rm 7, mcvorran
Sally Harvey-Koelpin, Asbury Hall, Rm 23, sallyharveykoelpin

One purpose of this project is to provide its participants with a service learning opportunity within an environment  of mutual learning that does not presume  a benevolent helping relationship, between the ‘us’ and  the ‘them’.  There is always the danger in service projects of using ‘them’ as a resource for ‘us’ to use, or as the ‘needy’ for whom things are done. Another objective is to increase a critical awareness of the relationships between poverty and class in postcolonial Brazil.  Students will also have the opportunity to increase their understanding of the threats to the Brazilian rain forest posed by ‘economic development’. It is hoped that after the experience of this project, students will be more informed not only about Brazil, but about the interrelatedness of human existence.  In particular, there is hope for a heightened sensitivity to problematic ways in which the American surplus is generated, and the impact on the human and physical environment in distant places.

A primary objective of the service is to facilitate a summer camp experience for orphaned and abandoned children at the village of Rio de Contas located in rural ‘interior’ of the state of Bahia in Brazil.  The summer camp curriculum is set as (a) a series of sports tournaments (soccer, running, and other sports) that will involve participants from DPU, the children of Lars Irma Benedita (the orphanage) and the children of the village of Rio de Contas (b) a series of environmental awareness activities, that will involve hiking, ‘herbal hunts’, photography challenges and other outdoor excursions. 

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504 China: Tradition and Change
Yung-chen Chiang, Harrison Hall, Rm 226, ychiang
Li-feng Chiang, Emison Museum, Rm 217, lchiang

This is a historical and sociological study tour of five cities that represent different historical and developmental trajectories of China: Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. It aims to provide the students with an opportunity to observe Chinese culture and society at a close range. Its purpose is to enable students to appreciate how history continues to matter and how the dramatic economic transformation taking place in China now is reshaping the landscape, skyscape, and, most importantly, the lives of the people (including the "minorities") in this most populous nation in the world.

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506 Cultural and Economic Development along the Silk Road in China
(May Project)
Sherry Mou, Emison Museum, Rm 204, smou
Kerry Pannell, Faculty Office Building, Rm 7, kpannell

Students in this course will visit locations along the Silk Road in China in order to understand cultural and economic aspects of Chinese society and how they relate to the China of 1000 years ago. The influence of cultures from around the world is still evident at these sites today: for example, the students will visit a mosque in Xian that was built by the Tang dynasty in order to please muslim traders living at the Chinese end of the Silk Road. These types of experiences point out the interconnectedness of world cultures and provide a new perspective on the position of the US relative to the rest of the world.

In addition to gaining significant country-specific experience that rounds out their classroom study of Chinese history, students will gain an understanding of the Chinese people's perspective on their own history by visiting their museums. In addition, Chinese perspectives on world politics and the current globalization trend will be evident in discussions students have with the locals they meet in the cities we visit.

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546 Sustainability in Action – Environmental Service in Costa Rica (WTIS)
Jeane Pope, Julian 213, jpope

Although many people talk about “saving the planet,” few know how to do this or even how to think about the problems we face.  In a world where it is recognized that humans can, in fact, affect the environment around them in very negative ways (pollution, Global Warming, habitat and species loss), this project allows students an opportunity to learn how to make positive contributions to the environment through a service-learning approach.  This project will take students to Costa Rica to work with EcoTeach, a United States/Costa Rican based conservation organization providing education-centered expeditions.  On site students will explore sustainability, conservation ecology, and eco-tourism by working with and talking to locals Costa Ricans engaged in environmental protection. Specifically, we plan to work on two projects:  sea turtle protection and an alternative energy/local foods initiative. In order to best contribute to sustainability, students will learn about the threats to the Costa Rican environment (habitat destruction, poaching, disease) and how to best preserve the plants and animals that exists (educational programs, building habitats, collecting data, etc.). 

We expect to be physical active during the course of the three weeks (walking, hikes, some lifting).  Some of the work may be especially strenuous (shoveling, carrying materials, etc.) but we will work within all abilities levels.  Spanish proficiency is preferred but not required.  Up to five spots may be held for First Year Student participation in the project. 

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514 The Czech Republic Past and Present
Julia Bruggemann, Harrison Hall, Rm 230, jbruggemann
Anne Harris, Peeler Art Center, Rm 214, aharris

Situated at the heart of Central Europe, the two provinces that make up the modern Czech Republic - Bohemia and Moravia - project the main artistic and historical development that have shaped European culture. The Czech Republic is an important country to study because of its resilience in the face of many historic changes: from Prague’s glory in the Middle Ages, to its importance in the Baroque period, to the country’s subjugation to Nazi power and Soviet rule, to its contemporary success as a member of the European Union.

This study trip aims to both reveal these layers of history, and to engage them critically in the process of renewal people and governments of the Czech Republic have put in place to both preserve their history and adapt to socio-political and cultural change. The Czech Republic provides an incredible opportunity to study layers of history. By being on site in both large and small cities of the Czech Republic, students will be able to witness first-hand the different responses to history, and its preservation and interpretation.

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516 Egypt Ancient and Modern
Jeff Kenney, Emison Museum, Rm 215, jkenney
Mona Bhan, Asbury Hall, 205C, monabhan

Egypt has been a center of civilization and political-cultural competition for over three millennia.  The goal of this Winter Term study-trip is to expose students to this rich history, and to help them understand how this multi-layered past impacts current Egyptian self-understanding.  We will start by exploring the Pharonic legacy and then move on to look at Roman, Jewish, Christian and Islamic influences.  Along the way, we will experience modern Egypt and the challenges it faces as a developing nation.      

Overview of Sites:
The Pyramids and Sphinx, along with the famous National Museum (Cairo)

The Valley of the Kings and Queens, along with Karnack and Abu Simbel (upper Egypt)

St. Catherine’s Monastery and Mt. Sinai (in the Sinai)

Roman Alexandria

Cairo: medieval Islamic city and modern urban metropolis

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518 Egypt of the Pharaohs
Daniel Shannon, Asbury Hall, Rm 212, dshan
Barbara Whitehead, Harrison Hall, Rm 235, whitehea

Egypt of the Pharaohs comes alive in this exploration of the ancient cities and temples of the Nile Valley. The Egyptian dynasties of the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms ruled for thousands of years, leaving behind some of the most well known monuments of the world—the pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, The Valley of the Kings, and the temples of Luxor, Karnak, and Hatshepsut. On this trip, we will focus on the mixed political and religious use of these artistic sites by the ancient rulers who were considered to be gods and goddesses.

We will spend four days on campus engaged in classroom preparation on the history, religion, and art of ancient Egypt before flying directly to Cairo. With Cairo as a base, we will visit the ancient city of Memphis, see the Step Pyramid at Sakkara, and of course take a tour of Giza to see the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx. From Cairo we will fly to Aswan and board our cruise ship for our four-day cruise down the Nile. Side-trips during the cruise will include the temples of Kom Ombo, Sobek, and Horus in Edfu. A stop at the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens will follow with a tour of the Temple of Hatshepsut, one of the most powerful female rulers in the ancient world. In Luxor we will disembark and take in a tour of the Karnak and Luxor temples and a guided tour of the temple of Ramses at Abu Simbel. At this point, we will board an overnight train back to Cairo. Once back, we will have a guided tour of the city, including the Citadel and the Egyptian Museum. From Cairo, we travel to Alexandria to take in the New Library, the Catacombs, and the Greco-Roman Museum.

All travel expenses, accommodations, museum entrance fees, tours, breakfasts, and dinners are included in the fixed costs. While cruising the Nile, all lunches are included as well. Students will be responsible on their own for buying approximately seven lunches and, of course, any souvenirs.

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526 Origins of Western Theatre: Where It All Began
Susan Anthony, Communication and Theatre, santhony
Andrew Hayes, Communication and Theatre, amhayes

In this WT experience, "Origins of Western Theatre: Where It All Began," students will experience first-hand the arts and culture of ancient Greece, particularly the drama and theatre of Athens and surrounding area. Through pre-departure readings and discussions, augmented by on-site lectures by local experts, this course encourages students to view the world (and the United States) from a new perspective. This project incorporates interdisciplinary aspects, in that the itinerary includes sites immeasurably important to theatrical history (Theatre of Dionysis, Epidaurus, Theatre Museum, etc.) as well as those central to economic, political, and religious concerns in ancient Greece (Agora, Acropolis, Museum of Athens, Delphi). Throughout our stay in Athens, students will hear local experts discuss famous historic sites and then actually visit those sites. Through lectures, tours of historical sites, and attendance at performances, students will explore the historical and contemporary culture of this famous and influential city.

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500 The Blessed Isle: Culture of Early Medieval Ireland
Harry Brown, Asbury Hall, Rm 313, hbrown
Angela Flury, Asbury Hall, Rm 320B, aflury

In his book, How the Irish Saved Civilization (1996), Thomas Cahill popularized the historical notion that something important happened in Ireland between the sixth and ninth centuries. While learning and the arts faltered in Europe, Celtic monastic communities flourished, preserving the classical tradition while creating a unique, nativized Christian culture that came to oppose Roman authority on significant issues such as the organization of the calendar and the role of women within the Church. Later, Viking raids disrupted and scattered these communities, which reformed as anchorite communities in isolated corners of Ireland or emigrated to the continent, where they contributed significantly to the Carolingian renaissance. This course examines the artistic, literary, and architectural remnants of this era, when Ireland's monastic sites became the focus of Celtic, Roman, and Norse ideals. Our circuit will take us from Dublin, where we will view the codices and artifacts of the National Museum and Trinity College; to major monastic centers at Glendalough, Cashel, and Clonmacnoise; and finally to the isolated settlements at Lough Leane, Riasc, and Inishmor. Our survey of these sites, as well as supplemental readings in medieval Irish history and literature, will contribute to our understanding of Ireland as a crucible where Christianity has undergone profound change.

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510 The Culture, Art History and Language of an Italian Border Area
May Project
Michael Seaman, Harrison Hall, Rm 105, mseaman
Francesca Seaman, East College, Room 013, fseaman

This course will explore Italy through an interdisciplinary approach by focusing on the northeast and experiencing the country and its culture more in depth than is usually the case in Winter Term projects to Europe.  We will base our stay in the ancient Roman seaside town of Grado, known for its medieval old town and world class beaches, and make excursions to the celebrated cities and sites of northeastern Italy, an area that author and NY Times columnist Fred Plotkin recently hailed as “the great undiscovered region of Italy.” Since Roman times, the northeastern Italian regions of Friuli and Veneto, which are situated near the borders of three different ethnic peoples, Italians, Germans and Slavs, have seen numerous invasions and immigration.  The area has played host to many different peoples and cultures, including the Celts, Romans, Huns, Byzantines, Lombards, Franks, Venetians, Ottomans, French, and Hapsburgs before becoming regions of Italy.  Each group has left an impact on the region, particularly in the art and architecture, cuisine and language.  Because of its culturally turbulent history, the area offers a unique opportunity both to explore this interaction of three major cultures and to study up close the development of Western art and architecture from Roman times through the Baroque.

Our class will focus on the art and history of this unique area, as we visit twelve cities and fifteen historical sites in three countries (Italy, Slovenia and Croatia). Our excursions will include visits to five UNESCO World Heritage sites, three castles, and numerous celebrated museums and churches.  Excursions to cities in the Veneto region will include trips to Venice, where we will study the Renaissance art of Titian, Tintoretto and Veronese in situ (i.e. where the art was intended to be, not on the wall of a museum), and to Padua, where we will study not only the architecture of Palladio, arguably the most influential person in the history of Western architecture, but also medieval and Renaissance masterpieces, like those by Giotto, Menabuoi, Mantegna, and Donatello.  In addition, our travels will take us off the beaten path where we will visit lesser-known Italian cities that are artistically and historically significant but yet have remained undiscovered by the typical American tourist. 

When not traveling on excursions, students will learn the basics of the Italian language on the charming island of Grado.  This will consist of a series of ten language classes that are designed to give students the skills to interact with Italians when living or traveling in Italy.  Each of these sessions is designed to be as productive as one week of Italian classes at DePauw.  Being able to communicate with the locals in their language, is a significant achievement and it both gives one a greater appreciation of that culture and opens new insights into one's own.

This project is designed to be an authentic experience of Italy.  The standard tour of Italy is as follows:  Venice-Florence-Rome, with few variations.  However, these big tourist centers are normally teeming with foreigners, particularly Americans, and it is therefore difficult to see authentic Italian life or interact with the locals, especially when most of them speak English fluently. In their foreign travel, students far too often stick to an itinerary that is all too predictable and do not venture away from main tourist centers. Unfortunately, this leaves them with an incomplete picture of the foreign land, never really having come into contact with anyone not affiliated with the tourist trade. This course should not only bring great satisfaction for having conversed in a foreign language but also bring deeper insights into Italian life and culture that visits to the usual tourist destinations would not provide.

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522 Jamaica: Exporting the Environment - Cultural and Ecological Intersections in the Caribbean
Rebecca Upton, Asbury Hall, Rm 221, rupton
Bruce Serlin, Olin Building, Rm 203, dance

How do peoples in Jamaica interact with their environment?  How do various populations use and understand the natural resources that are unique to the Jamaica context?  How can we understand the cultural and ecological intersections that we can see in this Caribbean island setting? Drawing on anthropological and biological perspectives, we will examine the dynamic intersections between the natural attributes of Jamaica and the resultant social phenomena on this island.  Our areas of interest range from the study of plant medicinals, to spices and foods, to building materials and product exports.  We will visit a range of environmental and cultural sites while in Jamaica and place at the centre of our trip, the study of how different peoples have valued and utilized similar ecological resources in a variety social and cultural ways.

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512 Cozumel: An Introduction to SCUBA Diving, Marine Ecology, and the Mayan Indians
Gary Lemon, Harrison Hall, Rm 209, garylemon
Cynthia Cornell, Asbury Hall, Rm 328, ccornell

This Winter Term project will begin with five to six days of on-campus orientation, featuring both academic and pool training via the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) open-water SCUBA diving course. Orientation will also begin our study of the Mayans and their archaeological remains in several important sites, and the cultural, social, and ecological impact of tourism on developing nations and fragile eco-systems. Upon completion of classroom and pool dive training we will travel to Cozumel, Mexico, an island that nicely represents the competing interests of indigenous people’s and the tourist economy/sociology. We will spend at least seven days diving, as a means of understanding the fascination that the underwater environment holds for western tourists. In addition to diving, we will travel to several Mayan archaeological sites: most likely Tulum and Chichen Itza, around which a thriving tourist industry has developed, and Coba, a site still being excavated, deep in the Yucatan jungle.

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542 Cusco, Peru: Creating Cultural Awareness Through Immersion and Service (WTIS)
Michael Schmeckebeir, Union Building, Rm 130, michaelschmeckebier
Christina Wagner, Harrison Hall, Rm 118, christinawagner

The general theme of this Winter Term In Service (WTIS) trip is to allow students the opportunity to experience a different culture through the lens of service work. Students will travel to Peru to spend approximately three weeks immersed in the local culture. This cultural immersion will come through working side by side with Peruvians in two specific areas: construction and healthcare.

The group will be working in Cusco, Peru and teamed with Global Volunteers Network. Cusco is located in the southeastern part of the Andes Mountains and is known as the capital of the Incan Empire. It is Peru’s main tourist destination and one of the most important in the Americas. With a high poverty rate and a population of nearly 350,000 people, many children are abandoned, left without families and deprived of parental love and care. The orphanages in Cusco support and protect these children but many are left under-funded, under-staffed, and overcrowded. There is a need for more orphanages but the resources do not exist to build new structures. Therefore, the main focus of the construction team will be to work side by side with other laborers on an orphanage project in Oropesa, just outside of Cusco. This project is already underway but the free labor and extra resources from our group will be extremely beneficial.

The children who are most often abandoned are those with physical and mental disabilities. The children are often placed in orphan clinics that are typically staffed by a small group consisting of doctors, assistants, and volunteers. Students will spend time working in the clinic assisting and caring for the children, organizing activities, and helping during meal time. Students will also have the opportunity to assist in physiotherapy and shadow the doctors in the clinic regularly.

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544 Mactan, Philippines (WTIS)
Bernard Batto, Professor of Religion, Emeritus, bbatto
Ann Malloy, Program Assistant and Chicago Posse XI Mentor, annmalloy

WTIS 2009 Mactan, Philippines, offers an opportunity to experience the local culture by directly interacting and partnering with community members to serve community-identified needs.  Students will learn about the culture and economic status in the Philippines and how it relates to the United States. Service will be the primary vehicle through which students can experience these topics. There will be three service projects: construction on the local training center; a medical team offering public health clinics; technology and English education with local 16 to 18 year-old youth of the Young Men's and Young Women's Outreach groups. Some of these same Filipino youth will also be working along side DePauw students on the construction project and in the health clinics, thereby increasing the opportunity for DePauw students to learn about the culture and values of the Filipino people.

This course will give students a glimpse of South Pacific life and how the United States relates to it. Economic disparity will be a common topic; included will be several exercises designed to help students understand the underlying systemic causes for poverty in the Philippines.  This course will also offer an opportunity to experience and understand the successes and limitations of short-term service. One desired outcome would the recognition that the primary beneficiaries of our WTIS are ourselves, that is, the "good" that we contributed in "service" to the impoverished people of the Global South is minuscule in comparison to our own "gain" in global understanding and appreciation of peoples of other nations, their cultures, and their issues.

5 spaces will be made available to incoming first-year students.

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528 South Africa Today: Society and Cultures in Transition in Modern/Contemporary Southern Africa
Leslie James, Emison Museum, Rm 216, ljames
Clarissa Peterson, Asbury Hall, Rm 105, cpeterson

The overarching, integrating theme of of the project centers on social, political, cultural, and other related transformation in South Africa. A core question to this project is how does one go about constructing a post-apartheid, democratic, inclusive society and zone of freedom in South Africa?

Prof. Leslie R.James, Associate Professor, Religious Studies and Director of Black Studies, and Prof. Clarisa Peterson, Associate Professor of Political Science, will combine their expertise in the planning and implementation of the project in its various stages. Fundamental goals of the project include:

1. Intensive insertion in the South African context through travel, study and critical reflection on contemporary South Africa as it undergoes further transition in the post-apartheid era. In essence, students will have the opportunity to understand the nature of apartheid, through its history and memory, the vision of a post-apartheid society, and the challenges of construction a post-apartheid polity.
2. Students will have concrete opportunities to learn, understand, and evaluate pedagogies related to the construction of post-apartheid, post-colonial societies in the twenty-first century.
3. It will capitalize on the unique off-campus opportunities, peculiar to South Africa, while combining traditional and non-traditional learning opportunities, where possible grounded in learning/service, development contexts.
4. The project will seek to achieve its objectives through travel and visits to a number of critical spaces in South African apartheid and post-apartheid history.
   Lessons and discussions in cross-cultural understanding will take place prior to departure for South Africa, and throughout the course of the trip. In addition, there will be exercises in cross-cultural understanding, sensitivity exercises, to develop group cohesion before and in South Africa. South Africa is a rich context for students to see the world, and the U.S., from a different perspective, to understand the vision of a new South Africa. In South Africa, a major goal of all study and service projects, to give students at least minimal awareness of diversity of ideas, practices, and how our own practices might be viewed from the perspective of a different culture, will be realized.
   Skills building, such as map-reading, learning basic Afrikaans or Xhosa, ethnic symbols, aspects of Truth and Reconciliation, museum/archive work, learning to think objectively and contextually, etc. will take place throughout the trip.

The South Africa project will have direct relevance to history courses that deal with Africa, the African Diaspora, Black Studies, Political Science, Religious Studies, Conflict Studies, Art, Music, Literature, Environmentalism, Health Sciences, Kinesology, Economics and other courses in the DePauw curriculum.

South Africa is a natural laboratory for all the above course connections to be made while enhancing interdisiciplinary understanding and learning along the following poles, some of which have already been mentioned: global such as ethnicity, global diversity, economic development, pollution, ecological sustainability, conflict studies, health and medicine, effects of tourism, etc. At the macro-level, questions willinclude how the world works, from a South African perspective, theories of global change, development of South African nationalism, the impact of global institutions on South African development, ethnicity and government in South Africa and the role of democracy and human choice in resolving South Africa’s problems.

Students will definitely be provided with ample exposure to relevant social and political issues in South Africa, such as the transition in ANC leadership, engagement in critical reflection of values, experiences, and increased understanding of diverse communities’ interconnectedness. To achieve this goal, the trip will provide significant opportunities for students to hear South African tell their stories and visions, and dialogue with South Africans.

As indicated, the country of choice is South Africa. Students will have the rare opportunity to travel throughout South Africa, visiting some of its major cities, regions, and places important for interpreting South Africa in a coherent fashion. In the process the trip will include focus on the country’s history, art, culture, music, philosophy, environment, politics, language, indigenous culture, health, traditions, etc of a particular place.

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508 Christian, Jewish and Muslim Spain
Linda Elman, East College, Rm 125, llelman
David Gellman, Harrison Hall, Rm 210, dgellman

This project complements a cultural studies course (First-Year Seminar to be taught by Elman in the fall semester of 2008) on the topic of Christians, Jews and Muslims in medieval Iberia.

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530 Tunisia: archaeology, history and tradition
Pedar Foss, Julian 104, pfoss
Cheira Belguellaoui, East College, Room 012, cheirabelguellaoui

This project examines the art, archaeology, history and lifeways of Tunisia from the distant past to the present. We explore the intersecting identities of local peoples (Berbers) and new arrivals (Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Turks and the French) as they have constructed their lives over some three millennia. We visit prehistoric dolmen-tombs at Makhtar; ruins of the ancient metropolis of Carthage; the tombs of Numidian kings; Roman aqueducts, quarries, arches, amphitheaters, temples, fora and underground houses; the world’s best collection of antique mosaics, Byzantine fortresses and early churches; the Muslim pilgrimage city of Kairouan; desert shrines, oases and fortified granaries near Tatouine; Turkish baths; traditional markets and music; modern theater and art. In short, we experience the historical and cultural legacies of East and West as 
they are combined in North Africa. There is also magnificent topography as we scramble over mountains in the north, enjoy vast vistas across the western steppe, sample salt lakes and ride camels in the southern desert, and wonder at the olive groves, gardens and beaches of the eastern coast.

Profs. Foss and Belguellaoui have expert local knowledge; Foss (Classical Studies) excavated in ancient Carthage for four seasons and is a regular professional archaeological tour guide in Tunisia. 

Belguellaoui (Modern Languages: French) is familiar with the Maghreb and is knowledgeable in language, custom, art, film, and recent history (in particular, French colonial rule and Fracophonie, including Tunisia). For an illustrated itinerary of the project, see: http://homepage.mac.com/pfoss/TunisiaWT09.pdf

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