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Off-Campus Study & Service Courses

Winter Term off-campus study and service courses, 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 2010 Off-Campus courses 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 2009 until September 12 at 4:30 pm. Students should direct course-specific questions to the sponsoring Faculty Leaders.  

All students, including First Years, are encouraged to apply for open courses. Students who have previously applied and were not enrolled in a course, but still want to participate in a Winter Term 2010 Off-Campus course, 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 course.  

The Application period for facluty-led off-campus courses has now ended.

 

Please note: All course costs listed are subject to change.

DOMESTIC COURSES 2010

Crs #	Destination	course Title	Faculty and Staff Leaders	Info Session	course Status & Availability
400	New Mexico	Creativity and Culture in the Southwest: Ghost Ranch	Steven Timm Meredith Brickell		OPEN
402	New York City	The Center of the World: Understanding New York	Harry Brown Mike Sinowitz		OPEN
440	San Diego	WTIS-San Diego:Exploring Teenage Homelessness in the United States (Passports are recommended)	Douglas Harms Adebayo Olowoyeye		CLOSED
404	Hawai'i	The Urbanization of Hawai'i: What are the Costs?	Bruce Serlin Terri Bonebright		CLOSED
406	Louisiana	DePauw Vocal Chamber Music Groups to Louisiana	Gabriel Crouch Amanda Hopson		CLOSED

 

INTERNATIONAL COURSES 2010

Crs #	Destination	Course Title	Faculty and Staff Leaders	Info Session	course Status & Availability
518	Brazil	Playing the Samba in Rio: Traditional Music of Brazil	Amy Barber Sandro Barros		CLOSED
506	China	From the Paris of the Orient to the Bird’s Nest: Contemporary Art, Architecture and Visual Culture in China	Sherry Mou Kaytie Johnson		Availability as determined by faculty leaders
524	Ecuador	The Galapagos-Natural Laboratories for Evolution	Kevin Kinney Kellie Dawson		CLOSED
540	El Salvador	WTIS Las Marias	Bob Hershberger Alex Puga		CLOSED
502	French Polynesia	Discovering French Polynesia’s society islands: language, culture, the colonial legacy and the consumption of exoticism	Cheira Belguellaoui Samuel Autman		CLOSED
526	Germany/Austria	The Marriage of Figaro	Keith Tonne Orcenith Smith		Availability as determined by faculty leaders
510	Ghana	Ghana: The Presence of the Past	Clarissa Peterson Smita Rahman		Availability as determined by faculty leaders
514	Greece	Origins of Contemporary Democratic Discourse: Greece and Rome	David Worthington Kerry Pannell		CLOSED
512	Israel	Jerusalem: The Holy City	Russ Arnold Rebecca Schindler		CLOSED
516	Italy	Pagans and Christians in Italy	David Guinee Gregory Sears		CLOSED
522	Italy (May)	The Civilization of Rome and Southern Italy from Antiquity to the Present.	Francesca Seaman TBA		CANCELLED
520	Japan	Power and Periphery: A Study of Contemporary Japan	Hiroko Chiba Christpher Bondy		Availability as determined by faculty leaders
504	Morocco	Education in Morocco: a look at the Moroccan educational system through its rich culture and history.	Khadija Stewart Loutfi Jirari		Availability as determined by faculty leaders
508	New Zealand	Geology of New Zealand	Tim Cope Jim Mills		CLOSED
500	Spain & Portugal	Changing Role of Food in Spain & Portugal	Marie Hopwood Michael Roberts		CLOSED

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Creativity and Culture in the Southwest: Ghost Ranch
Steven Timm, Communication and Theatre, Green Center for the Performing Arts, Room 1306
Meredith Brickell, Art, Peeler Art Center, Room 106A

Ghost Ranch, New Mexico: Creativity and Culture in the Southwest
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 complete immersion in a rich, multi-faceted cultural experience, and intensive study with talented faculty. At the Abiquiu location, students can immerse themselves in one of the following courses: Photography, Painting, Silversmithing, Pottery, Creative Writing, Outdoor Adventures, Service Learning in the Southwest, An Inner Journey: Still the Mind, Open Your Heart or Sacred Places in Southwest Literature.
Students may also choose to live and study at Ghost Ranch’s Santa Fe location and take full advantage of the many museums, galleries, and restaurants in the city. The courses offered in Santa Fe are Contemporary Illustration/Cartooning or Museum Studies and Art History.

Students will have opportunities to meet with area residents and artisans, medicine men, monks, ranchers and local personalities (Teo Manzanares—Gerogia O'Keefe's driver—usually speaks to students during WT). In addition to the courses listed above, students will participate in a variety of cultural excursions such as visits to Native American pueblos, Dar al Islam (a Muslim Mosque), Bandelier National Monument and Chaco Canyon (ancient homes of cliff-dwelling Native Americans, ) Los Alamos (home to the first nuclear weapon), and other sites exploring the natural and human history of the area. Optional excursions include skiing in Los Alamos, shopping/site seeing in Santa Fe, and hiking in the 20,000+ acres surrounding the ranch.

Join us on our Facebook Group: DePauw goes to Ghost Ranch

Fixed Cost: $2215+ course materials fee: Photography ($325), Painting ($75), Silversmith ($150), Pottery ($100), Outdoor ($100), Service ($0), Inner Journey ($100), Writing ($25), Sacred Places ($25), Cartooning ($50), Museum Studies/Art History ($25)

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The Center of the World: Understanding New York
Harry Brown,English, Asbury Hall, Rm 313
Mike Sinowitz, English, Asbury Hall, Rm 12

Historian Russell Shorto describes seventeenth-century Manhattan as the “island at the center of the world,” a crossroads of diverse cultures and commercial interests like no other place in colonial America. With subsequent waves of immigration, the city has grown into a nation within a nation, not only the largest city in the United States but also the global capital of culture and finance and Ground Zero in the War on Terror. Our course will consider a few fundamental questions: How is New York’s past visible in the landscape of today’s city? How do the past and present interact within this landscape? What has made New York central in the art and literature of the United States? The primary purpose of this project is to understand the city’s “centrality” in the history and cultural life of the United States through a close examination of its past, which remains tangible throughout the urban landscape, not only in museums and monuments but also in the city’s diverse neighborhoods, side streets and subways, and the art and literature the city has inspired. Through a combination of readings, guided walking tours, visits to museums and other sites, and independent exploration, the course will foster an integrated understanding of New York’s history, geographical and social composition, and importance in the cultural life of the United States and the world. We will emphasize the connections between the present and past, combining our own experiences of New York’s neighborhoods, thoroughfares, stores, museums, theaters, and restaurants with research of the historical influences that have created the city before us.

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WTIS-San Diego:Exploring Teenage Homelessness in the United States
Doug Harms, Computer Science, Julian Science and Mathematics Center, Rm 264
Adebayo Olowoyeye, Computer Science, Julian Science and Mathematics Center, Rm 270

The theme of this off-campus experience will be homelessness, particularly its effect and impact on teenagers. This will be a service trip and team members will work with homeless and at-risk youth in San Diego, California. Much of our work will be during evening hours at the Stand Up For Kids (SUFK) center where local homeless and at-risk youth gather to eat, get free clothing, shower, and socialize. We will accompany SUFK volunteers who do outreach to transient teenagers during the evening, we'll volunteer at soup kitchens and other locations addressing the needs of the homeless, and visit schools and meet with people working with the homeless and discuss causes of homelessness and ways to effectively address this problem. We will also clean, organize, and do routine maintenance at the SUFK center.

Passports will be reqeuired for participation.

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The Urbanization of Hawai'i: What are the Costs?
Bruce Serlin, Biology, Olin Building, Rm 203
Terri Bonebright, Psychology, Harrison Hall, Rm 114

This Winter Term academic study course seeks to integrate interdisciplinary perspectives in the context of Hawai‘i.  We will explore the degree to which natural and native resources contribute to the social cohesiveness within a variety of communities.  We are interested in examining the dynamic intersections between the natural attributes of the setting with social phenomena that have resulted.  Our areas of interest range from traditional v. modern uses of native resources, to conservation efforts, to different uses of common resources among ethnicities, to diverse cuisine and commerce.  This project will show how different peoples, due to both cultural heritage and geographic location, have employed similar resources in different ways.

Hawai‘i, the most remote archipelago on Earth, isolated from the nearest continent by over 1,800 miles of sea, is an island chain comprised of nearly 140 islands and atolls. Numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts located in the North Pacific Ocean, extend approximately  1,500 miles from the Island of Hawai‘i in the southeast to Kure Atoll in the northwest.  The islands began forming approximately 70 million years ago, through volcanic activity, as the Pacific plate drifted in a northwesterly direction over a hotspot extending outward from the Earth’s mantle.  The main 8 islands, which we are most familiar with, are Ni‘ihau, Kaua‘i, O‘ahu, Moloka‘i, Maui, Lana‘i, Kaho‘olawe and the youngest, Hawai‘i island (Big Island).  Each of the islands boast mountain ranges featuring once active volcanoes affecting such atmospheric conditions that divide the island into the drier, wind-blown cliff tops of the leeward coast, on the west side of the island and the lush, fertile forests of the windward coast, on the east side of the island.  Such isolation has bred a plethora of endemic flora and fauna species that arrived to the islands prior to human contact.

Prior to the colonization of the Hawaiian Islands by man, the rate of introduction of plants was very low due to the isolation.  It has been estimated that approximately 272 plants become established and diversified into a flora of 1,729 species and varieties, 95% of which are endemic.  Unfortunately, as more and more humans arrived on the shores of Hawai‘i, they brought with them over 4,600 alien species that out-competed native plant species for survival.  These seven species, Florida prickly blackberry, Christmas berry, common guava, Guinea grass, koa haole, lantana, and molasses grass, pose problems to ecosystems on all eight of the islands.  Today, nearly 75% of all extinctions worldwide are species native to Hawai’i.  Furthermore, many of the remaining endemic species of plants and animals in the Hawaiian Islands are considered endangered, and some critically so. Plant species are particularly at risk: out of a total of 2690 plant species, 946 are non-indigenous with 800 of the native species listed as endangered.  The effects of non-native plant and animal species to native ecosystems are amplified on an island setting.  Furthermore, tension exists between maintaining balance between pristine areas and developed land usage.   Whether for habitation, agricultural use, or commercial enterprises, responsible resource development is proving to be of environmental and socio-economical concern on all islands.

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DePauw Vocal Chamber Music Groups to Louisiana
Gabriel Crouch, School of Music, Green Center for the Performing Arts
Amanda Hopson, School of Music, Green Center for the Performing Arts

Fixed Costs: $950	Days on-campus: 9
Unfixed Cost: $TBA	Days off-campus: 9

Budget Worksheet

Please note: all course costs listed are subject to change.

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Playing the Samba in Rio: Traditional Music of Brazil
Amy Barber, School of Music, Green Center for the Performing Arts
Sandro Barros, Modern Languages, East College, Room 316

Samba is one of the great passions of  Brazilians (along with soccer), and one of its most well-known exports. In Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Recife, and elsewhere, Brazilian musicians are gearing up in January for the Carnival celebrations. The pre-Lenten Carnival in Rio is the most famous in the world, and the music itself is exciting and mostly based on driving rhythms and percussion.

This trip is a rare opportunity to study, hear, and perform this music, and to understand its important role in Brazilian culture. The group  will be able to join a well-established annual tour to Brazil organized and led by the World Percussion Project based at the California State University at Long Beach. We will have access to people and places which tourists do not typically see.  This is a chance to study Brazilian music in an „immersion“ manner.

We will spend  15 days in Brazil, divided into three segments of 5 days each in the coastal cities of Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, and Recife.  The trip will focus on some of the traditional musical styles of Brazil – most notably the samba. These styles will be studied through the medium of percussion instruments, which is the dominant element in this music. The participants will be studying Brazilian music and drumming with some of the top teachers/performers in Brazil.   The visit will include classes in Brazilian music in each location, cultural tours, scenic tours, and attending performances.
In Rio de Janeiro, we will stay in small hotels near many restaurants, parks, shops, and beaches.  Classes will be held at the Rio Gruppo Percussaõ (Rio School of Percussion) directed by Guilherme Gonçalves, one of the leading samba and jazz percussionists in Rio. The classes are in English, and will prepare students to play the music of the escola de samba (large samba bands known for their performances during Carnival). Instruments will be provided. There will be opportunities to see and hear the samba schools rehearsing for the upcoming Carnival, and also to play with one or more of the smaller schools or the blocos (neighborhood samba bands) such as the well-known Rio Carioca Bloco and the Estacio de Sa Samba School. There  will also be a visit to the famous Sambadromo, the site of the Carnival competition, and to Cidade de Samba (Samba City), where all the floats and costumes for Carnival are made by each Samba School.   Sight-seeing in Rio will include Copacabana Beach, Sugarloaf, and Corcovado with the famous statue of Christ the Redeemer - allowing students to gain a greater awareness of Brazilian culture, its people, and natural beauty. 
We will then fly to Salvador, Bahia, the oldest city and original capital of Brazil, and the part of Brazil that best preserves its African cultural heritage. The group will stay in hotels in the Barra district, close to the ocean and to many restaurants  and a modern shopping center.  Barra is a 15-minute ride to the Pehlourinho historical and cultural district, the site for classes and many activities.  Classes in African candomble drumming will be led by Ze Ricardo de Souza, musical director of Bale folclorico da Bahia, with the help of a translator. Classes in samba reggae and other Bahian styles will be led by one of  samba school directors. The candomble drumming is of a very African style, while samba reggae is Salvador’ s version of Carnival music.  The group will have an opportunity to see some of Brazil’s top performing groups like Olodum (made famous in Michael Jackson’ s video „They Don’ t Really Care about Us“) , Ile Aiye,  Sons of Gandi, and the Bale Folclorico da Bahia. There will be a day trip through the city of Salvador, showing students  important places in the city, and also an all-day island excursion.

Finally, we will fly to Recife, which will provide instruction in yet other Brazilian styles – primarily frevo and maracatu. Recife has a very different culture than the other two cities, with a very strong influence of the original native Brazilian culture.

Breakfast is always included at the hotels. Lunch will typically be „street food“ between classes or on sight-seeing tours. This is readily available and quite cheap. Dinners will be in area restaurants at the students’ expense, except for a few group meals included in the package. Very common are buffet restaurants where you pay by weight , so it is possible to eat very reasonably, and also convenient for vegetarians.

This trip is geared not only for percussion students, but also for students who are interested in Brazilian culture and want to learn to play samba. Participation in the project is dependent on acquiring basic playing skills on some of the instruments. Therefore, attendance at a series of evening classes in the fall semester would be a prerequisite for joining this group. Instruction will be offered in the samba and on basic instruments. Some of the instruments -  caixa, tamborim,  repinique - require quite a bit of technique, while others – agogo, ganza, surdo - do not.  Any student who has a basic understanding of and feel for rhythm can master playing samba to some degree. The ability to read rhythmic notation is also a real plus, although not a requirement. Students with a special interest in dance would also be welcome.

A visa is required for travel to Brazil. This trip is limited to 15 students.

Fixed cost: $4,015	Days on-campus: 5
Unfixed Cost: $300 - $500	Days off-campus: 16

Budget Worksheet

Please note: All course costs listed are subject to change.

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From the Paris of the Orient to the Bird’s Nest: Contemporary Art, Architecture and Visual Culture in China
Sherry Mou, Modern Languages, Emison Museum, Rm 204
Kaytie Johnson, Art, Peeler Art Center, Rm 202

Information Session Thurs. Sept. 3 at 7 pm!

Historical and contemporary developments in Chinese art, architecture and visual culture

This course explores both the traditional and the contemporary architecture and art venues in four major cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, and Xi’an. Chinese art and architecture have undergone enormous changes over the forty-year period from the Cultural Revolution to today. As the country experiences an unprecedented tide of reform and opening up, radical changes in art, architecture and culture have emerged. We will visit a wide range of cultural institutions and places – including art museums and galleries (e.g., the Shanghai Museum), significant examples of historical and contemporary architecture (e.g., the Forbidden City, the Great Wall, the 2008 Olympic Games sites), traditional Chinese gardens (e.g., Suzhou is nicknamed “the capital city of gardens of the world”), and important historical sites (e.g., the Mausoleum of the First Emperor with the terra-cotta army).

Application Question for late Applicants:
Of all the potential places one could participate in Winter Term Off-Campus Study, why did you choose this particular project, and how do you believe this project will complement your academic goals at DePauw?  Please reference project specifics such as location and subject matter when considering your answer to this question.

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The Galapagos-Natural Laboratories for Evolution
Kevin Kinney, Biology, Olin Building, Rm 210
Kellie Dawson, Asbury Hall, Room 315

The Galapagos Islands occupy a unique place in biology that far exceeds their geographic span.  These small volcanic islands were on of the stops made by Charles Darwin in 1835, as a part of his trip aboard the Beagle, the time when he is generally considered to have formed his initial thoughts on the Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection.  Even today, the Galapagos and Evolution are considered inseparable. 

 What was it about these tiny islands, 600 miles out in the Pacific Ocean, that inspired Darwin?  Just how central were they to his formulation of the Theory?  Are the Galapagos central to evolutionary theory in general?  These are some of the questions we will address through our study of the historical aspects of the Galapagos, including reading from Darwin’s writings made while aboard the Beagle. 

 But the entanglement of the Galapagos and the study of evolution did not end with Darwin- for more than a century, biologists have been fascinated by the islands, and from their research has come a wealth of new information on the ecology of island chains (and an understanding of just how fragile ecosystems can be), the physiology of organisms in harsh environments, the influences of El Nino climate events on ecosystems, and, of course evolutionary biology.  Through readings of modern research, we will learn just how these islands serve as “natural laboratories” and workshops for some of the most rigorous and spectacular research in biology, including the demonstration of evolution by natural selection at a rate that Darwin himself could not have imagined. 

 After the on-campus orientation, the adventure begins-  we will actually go to the Galapagos and see, firsthand, what all of the fuss is about.  Biologists around the world comment that descriptions cannot do the locale justice.  Armed with our new appreciation of the islands, we will tour several of the major islands, including the Charles Darwin Research Station.  Through tours on land and in the water (extensive opportunities for snorkeling and possibly SCUBA diving will exist-and all students should be comfortable in the water), members of the project team will, individually and in groups, record their observations in words an pictures (much as Darwin did), and relate their observations to the principle of evolution covered in the on-campus segment.  Students will also work in small groups to research in depth some background topic of interest, then report on their work during their time in the Galapagos, and in more detail upon their return. 

Objectives:

1. Students will become acquainted, at least on a surface level, with the work of Charles Darwin and his formulation of the Principle of Evolution by Natural Selection.  This will involve both historical and scientific aspects of study.  Students should be able to describe the basic concepts in their own words, and to give and recognize examples illustrating these principles. 
2. Students will become familiar with the natural history of the Galapagos Islands, their geography, climate and biology, as well as the history of human interactions with the islands.  Students will come away with an appreciation of just how these islands provide a very unusual opportunity for biologists. 
3. Students will become familiar with the problems of conservation of biodiversity in island habitats, and will learn about some of the solutions being attempted. 
4. Students will become more adept at critically observing living specimens, recording these observations (in word and/or image), and drawing inferences and conclusions based on these observations. 

 

While having a biology and geology focus, this course is not solely intended for such majors, or even science majors.  Any student with an interest in the Islands, whether from a scientific, anthropological, sociological, economic or artistic perspective will be completely welcome.  In the past, we have tried to have a balance of all types of interests, and I intend to try for this again. 

This course includes a significant amount of physical exertion and travel on a seafaring boat.  Activities include but are not limited to long boat trips, snorkling in the ocean, and possible SCUBA diving. Students must be prepared to participate in all project activities.

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WTIS Las Marias
Bob Hershberger, Modern Languages, East College, Rm 120
Alex Puga, Modern Languages, East College, Rm 122

The overarching theme of this Winter Term In Service (WTIS) trip is to understand and appreciate the people of El Salvador, their history, culture, and current situation. This will be a service trip where a primary learning activity will be working with Salvadorans on two projects: one related to the construction of an Internet facility, and the other related to public health and health care.

The team will be working in Las Marias 93, a small coffee cooperative in the mountains of Southeastern El Salvador. One of the projects will be to help install and configure an Internet facility in Las Marias and to teach computer literacy skills to local residents. This project is but one part of a long term commitment by CoCoDA to Las Marias, and team members will be able to see and appreciate the work begun by teams from Tufts University and River Road Unitarian Universalist Church in the past and know that their work will be supported and enhanced by future teams and projects to continually provide needed services to Las Marias. (Additional information about CoCoDA, their projects in El Salvador, and their relationship with DePauw over the years can be found in section IX.) It is also the hope of the faculty members that the Internet cafe will be seen as an opportunity to establish a long-term link between Las Marias and DePauw University whereby DePauw students (and faculty) and Las Marias residents can communicate and collaborate on projects in the coming years.

The second project will be a public health care team. Working with Hartman House staff we will identify and recruit one or more medical professionals to accompany our team. The medical team will consist of our students and medical professionals, along with one or more Salvadoran doctors and/or nurses. The team will visit communities near Las Marias where we will set up one-day medical clinics for residents to see medical professionals, get diagnoses, and receive free medications; we will also provide health education to residents regarding such topics as dental health, sexual health, nutrition, prenatal health, etc. The Hartman House will help us locate medical supplies and medications to bring with us in order to distribute to patients. CoCoDA will help arrange and organize the medical clinics in El Salvador.

 

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Discovering French Polynesia’s society islands: language, culture, the colonial legacy and the consumption of exoticism
Cheira Belguellaoui, Modern Languages, East College, Room 304
Samuel Autman, English, Asbury Hall, Room 19

“aitai pea pea” (Tahitian’s  philosophy: “no problem”)
This course is a rare opportunity to explore French Polynesia’s history, culture and “postcolonial” condition. Located in the eastern South Pacific, French Polynesia (from the Greek: many islands) remains one of the most lusted after clusters of islands, atolls and lagoons. Pierre Loti, Gauguin, Jack London, Herman Melville are among the countless “exote” seekers who have fallen under the spell of these islands of love. We will travel to 4 of the Society Islands: Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora and Huahine. Each island will uncover one or more aspects of Polynesian culture, industry, sustainability efforts and community. During this voyage, it is also hoped that all participating students will have a better understanding of the existing relationship between the Metropole (France) and one of his French Overseas Community: Tahiti. 

Once on land, there will be continuous interfacing with local community members including teachers, students, artists, farmers, local guides, etc. This project will serve different learning purposes ranging from linguistic (the use of French) to understanding the impact of tourism on local cultures and starting a dialogue on the legacy of colonialism. In addition, this course intends to further thoughts on the ever prevalent pursuit of carefully marketed exoticism and glossy packaging of South Pacific cultures.

Although the project is open to all DePauw students, we hope to attract students principally from the fields of modern languages (French), history (colonialism), anthropology (local cultural practices), political science, and economy (cultured pearls, vanilla, fish and tourism). Specific reading and viewing assignments will be an integral part of this course.

Questions? Frenchpolynesia2010@gmail.com

This course includes a significant amount of physical exertion. Activities include but are not limited to 4+ hour-long hikes, rural accommodations and humid climates. Students must be prepared to participate in all project activities.

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The Marriage of Figaro
Keith Tonne, School of Music, Green Center for the Performing Arts
Orcenith Smith, School of Music, Green Center for the Performing Arts

This course will acquaint students with The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart, in preparation for a production here at DePauw in March of 2010 as well as highlight the position occupied by opera specifically, and the fine arts in general in the cultures of Germany and Austria, including the backstage work of presenting opera. This course will allow students to observe the process of preparing & performing the Marriage of Figaro, from the first musical rehearsals, through stage rehearsals, final dress rehearsals, and performance in a professional setting.

Application Question for Late Applicants:

Of all the potential places one could participate in Winter Term Off-Campus Study, why did you choose this particular project, and how do you believe this project will complement your academic goals at DePauw?  Please reference project specifics such as location and subject matter when considering your answer to this question.

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Ghana: The Presence of the Past
Clarissa Peterson, Political Science, Asbury Hall, Rm 105
Smita Rahman, Political Science, Asbury Hall, Room 104

This project is an opportunity to study Ghana’s historical relationship with the US slave trade.  The US currently has an unusual relationship with its past.  The country recognizes the devastation of slavery, but is determined to get past that devastation.  Some may even claim that the US has been so quick to get beyond the past that it did failed to adequately deal with it over the years.  Now that we have a president who is African American, many would argue that we have progressed beyond slavery to finally reach an era where race does not matter.  As scholars, however, we are cautioned not to jump to conclusions about the relationship between the past, the present, and the future.  This trip is an opportunity for us to evaluate that relationship.  More specifically, we seek to investigate the role that the past has in the present, and therefore, the shaping of the future in the United States.  Our research question for the project is… How does the history of the African American political, social, and cultural experiences in Ghana influence the current experiences?  Students will have reading and projects to complete for the Ghana project.  They will write short essays and present information prior to leaving the country, complete journals before and during the trip, and write a final paper to complete the experience when we return.  While in Ghana, students will visit  historical places such as slave castles, museums, and cemeteries.  A visit to these places will provide them with a local perspective of their significance,  as well as allow them an opportunity to experience the remnants of the past and its presence in Ghana today.  Students will also have an opportunity to visit the local market places and interact with the local people.   

These experiences will especially be tied to the American experience by visiting the home and burial site of WEB DuBois, one of the pioneers of Black Studies. DuBois was invited to Ghana by its President Kwame Nkrumah. He and his wife became citizens of Ghana and he spent the remainder of his years there and is buried in Accra. In preparation for our visit to the DuBois Center for Pan-African Culture, students will read DuBois’ “Address to the Nations of the World” at the first Pan-African Congress and excerpts from the “Souls of Black Folk” to address the relevance of the movement today, both internationally, and for African-Americans in particular. Ghana’s colonial past and its movement towards independence was significant in shaping the trajectory of Pan-Africanism as an intellectual movement and as a critical, but contested, component of post-colonial thought. Students will explore the legacy of Pan-Africanism as a social, cultural and political movement and its impact on independence movements. Ghana was at the intellectual epicenter of this historical movement as a consequence of its unique relationship with the great African-American thinker and activist, W.E.B. DuBois.

In connection with DuBois’ legacy, we will also pay close attention to Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, who shaped its independence movement and its post-colonial stance and was one of the leading advocates of Pan-Africanism. We will visit the Nkrumah memorial and explore his role in African politics and in Ghana’s emergence and development. For critical perspective, students will also read Frantz Fanon’s powerful denunciation of Pan-Africanism in “The Wretched of the Earth” to explore the movement’s possibilities and limits for articulating national identity in a post-colonial context. Do such movements reinforce easy binaries of Europe and the other and continue to foster both intellectual and political dependence? Or do they complicate such narratives and serve as active sites of resistance and identity construction by reclaiming Africa’s past? To add a contemporary layer to these debates, we will also read the work of native Ghanaian and African-American philosopher Kwame Anthony Appiah on Afrocentrism.

Finally we will explore Ghana’s ancient past and the impact it has had on its independence and its political construction in the present through the Ashanti Empire.Students will explore the history of the ancient Ashanti kingdom and the role it plays in the national construction and political imagination of Ghana. They will explore the Ashanti’s struggles with the British during the period of colonial rule and examine its unique role as one of the constitutionally-protected, sub-national traditional states within the Republic of Ghana.
This project is particularly timely given that the US has recently elected its first African American president.  It offers us a unique opportunity to interrogate the complex role of race in American politics.  Political scientists are especially asking if the slave past no longer has an influence on how the US electorate acts politically.  Can we truly say that we are beyond slavery? Have we come to terms with the enduring legacy of the slave trade and its origins in Ghana? Have we adequately interrogated the role it played in American political and economic development? Our research tells us that the past is always present (Rahman’s research on collective memory and Peterson’s research on Black Politics).  We hope that students will come away with a better understanding of why the past is very much a part of the present.

Application Question for Late Applicants:

Of all the potential places one could participate in Winter Term Off-Campus Study, why did you choose this particular project, and how do you believe this project will complement your academic goals at DePauw? Please reference project specifics such as location and subject matter when considering your answer to this question.

How will this experience contribute to your personal growth?

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Origins of Contemporary Democratic Discourse: Greece and Rome
Dave Worthington, Communication and Theatre, Green Center for the Performing Arts, Room 1308
Kerry Pannell, Economics and Management, Harrison Hall, Room 202

This course explores the convergence and emergence of rhetoric and democracy as they rose in the European pre-modern world. The group will study the way that culture: religion, athletics, geography, economics (and more) influenced the development of western rhetorical/political traditions. Site visits include the Athenian Acropolis, Olympia, Delphi, Sparta in Greece and the Classical ruins and Vatican City in Rome. Students who apply for this trip should be prepared for substantial intellectual engagement with the course materials beyond the site visit.

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Jerusalem: The Holy City
Russell Arnold, Religious Studies, Emison Museum, Rm 212
Rebecca Schindler, Classical Studies, Harrison Hall, Rm 107

This course introduces students to the history, art, architecture, archaeology, and lifeways of the city of Jerusalem from its foundations to the present day. Through a study of texts, geography and topography, art and architecture, we will explore together how and why Jerusalem came to be considered one of the holiest places on earth, as well as being one of the politically most contested cities in the world. Jerusalem is one of the most diverse cities in the world. The Old City is divided into four quarters: Muslim, Christian, Armenian and Jewish. The modern city that has grown up around this ancient foundation, is a thriving metropolis of Jews, Muslims, and  Christians who can trace their backgrounds all over the world, from Ethiopia to Russia, from Persia to America. This course will expose students to this diversity and encourage them to consider issues of religious ideology, community formation, sacred space, and conflict resolution.

While the course will focus on Jerusalem and we will spend most of our time in the city, we also seek to contextualize this special place within its larger geographic and historical setting. Therefore, the course will begin in the northern part of Israel where we will have opportunities to visit some of the important Israelite/Canaanite and Roman settlements on the Mediterranean coast and near the Sea of Galilee. Once in Jerusalem we will also travel south to the Dead Sea area where we will experience Bedouin life and visit the sites of Masada and Qumran.

Please visit the course website for more information.

Application Question for Late Applicants:

Of all the potential places one could participate in Winter Term Off-Campus Study, why did you choose this particular project, and how do you believe this project will complement your academic goals at DePauw?  Please reference project specifics such as location and subject matter when considering your answer to this question.

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Pagans and Christians in Italy
David Guinee, Classical Studies, Harrison Hall, Rm 111
Gregory Sears, Classical Studies, Harrison Hall, Room 105

Our Winter Term study tour of Italy provides a general introduction to Italian history and culture and a focused look at the history of religious life and its intersections with art, history, and politics. We will start our study in Rome and then move on to Florence and Venice. In each location you will have guided trips to the most important sites. HIghlights will include the Vatican Museum and St. Peter’s Cathedral, the Roman Forum and the Colosseum, the Uffizi Galleries and the Duomo in Florence, St. Mark’s Cathedral and Palazzo Ducale in Venice, and much more.

While religion will be our focus, we will also examine modern Italian life and culture. Students will be expected to do required readings, attend all common sessions, and write response articles or blog posts on daily topics. Professor Guinee is Associate Professor of Classics and has led six previous Winter Term trips to Italy.

Fixed Costs are estimated at $3800, and students should budget 30-40 euro per day for additional meals and expenses. Additional information and regular updates will be posted at the course web site.

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The Civilization of Rome and Southern Italy from Antiquity to the Present (May)
Francesca Seaman, Modern Languages, East College, Room 013
TBA

This project has been cancelled.

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Power and Periphery: A Study of Contemporary Japan
Hiroko Chiba, Modern Languages, Emison Museum, Rm 208
Christopher Bondy, Sociology and Anthropology, Asbury Hall, Room 331

This winter term course to Japan allows students to experience Japan through multiple lenses.  We will explore centers of political power through a tour of Tokyo and the Diet (Japan’s Parliament) and cultural power by visiting Kyoto, Japan’s imperial capital for over 1,000 years (and the only major city not destroyed in WWII).  The historical transformation between these two centers of power will be explored.   The trip will also explore those on the periphery of Japanese society.  We will visit a university in rural Japan, where students will be able to take part in a home stay, seeing how “regular” people in Japan live, work and communicate.  Further, this homestay opportunity will allow the students who have studied Japanese to practice their skills in a natural linguistic environment.  Finally, we will examine the experiences of Japan’s largest minority group, the burakumin, to see how this group has, and continues to be, marginalized in contemporary Japan.  This will be done through a visit to a buraku district in Osaka.

 

Objectives and Purposes: 

This trip will provide a host of learning experiences for students.  Studying issues of power and periphery in Japan allows students to explore some of the same issues that we see in the Untied States, but in a different socio-historical context.  The complexities of Japan lets students see the connection between past and present, power and periphery and be able to interact with Japanese people in informal settings, rather than simply touring through Japan, isolated from others.  In addition, students studying Japanese language will be able to use their skills in Japan. 

Application Question for Late Applicants:

Of all the potential places one could participate in Winter Term Off-Campus Study, why did you choose this particular project, and how do you believe this project will complement your academic goals at DePauw?  Please reference project specifics such as location and subject matter when considering your answer to this question.

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Education in Morocco: a look at the Moroccan educational system through its rich culture and history
Khadija Stewart, Computer Science, Julian Science and Mathematics Center, Rm 273
Loutfi Jirari, Center for International and Experiential Education, Durham House

This trip will provide you the unique opportunity to explore higher education in Morocco by experiencing the rich Moroccan culture and historical influences that have shaped it. We will visit several universities including two historical universities (Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakech and the University located at the Mosque Hassan II in Casablanca). We will also visit a university that was built during the French protectorate of Morocco, University Mohammed V in the capital Rabat and visit the first university modeled after the American educational system, Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane. We will visit numerous historical sites in Morocco such as Jammaa El Fna, Koutoubia Mosque and Bahia Palace in Marrakech as well as historical and cultural sites around Casablanca and Ifrane.
This project offers the opportunity to become immersed in Arabic culture by exposure to the higher education system, traveling to legendary cities, exploring historical and cultural sites in Morocco and interacting with Arabic, Berber and French-speaking populations.

Application Question for Late Applicants:

Of all the potential places one could participate in Winter Term Off-Campus Study, why did you choose this particular project, and how do you believe this project will complement your academic goals at DePauw?  Please reference project specifics such as location and subject matter when considering your answer to this question.

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Geology of New Zealand
Jim Mills, Geosciences, Julian Science and Mathematics Center, Rm 214
Tim Cope, Geosciences, Julian Science and Mathematics Center, Rm 210

This course will be a geologic field trip through both islands of New Zealand. Students will get hands-on experience interpreting the wide variety of geologic features that occur on the islands, including geysers, active volcanoes, caves, glaciers, active faults, and rising mountains. Although the theme of this course is the geologic development of the islands (with an emphasis on geologic history and tectonics), we will also have the opportunity to touch on the island’s unique biologic diversity, climate zones, and native culture.

This course will be most beneficial to students with a strong background and interest in geology, therefore preference will be given to geology majors and students with at least one course in Geosciences.  We will not accept students with no geological background; students who express an early interest in this course will be encouraged to take GEOL 110 in the fall.   
Field trips are an essential part of a good geology education. A student who has learned about geology only in the classroom is not at all trained to recognize and interpret geology in the field (the saying among geologists is that “he who sees the most rocks, wins”). We see this course as an opportunity for geology students to witness firsthand all of the features and processes that they learn about in the classroom, and to apply the techniques they learn in our geology courses to the interpretation of these features.

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.

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Changing Role of Food in Spain & Portugal
Michael Roberts, Psychology, Harrison Hall, Room 108B
Marie Hopwood, Sociology and Anthropology, Asbury Hall, Room 205C

The focus on food and eating in the United States has taken a dramatic turn within the last decade, moving beyond the Puritanical conceptualizations of food as nutrition only, into embracing food as pleasure and acknowledging the deep wells of meaning that food and eating acts can embody.  This course will combine two disciplines, anthropology and psychology, in an exploration of the experience, meaning and conceptualization of food and eating.  The anthropology of food centers on the meaning that food has for people around the world and throughout time.  We will explore the unique culinary traditions of Spain and Portugal, with an emphasis on what foods mean to the different cultures living in these areas, as well as exploring the archaeological evidence of food usage in the area.  The psychology of food will be considered from two perspectives.  First, we will discuss the biological underpinnings of taste perception.  Second, we will explore the unconscious influences that often guide our food choices.
Spain and Portugal are the focus of this analysis because of their unique situations in terms of the confluence of various cultural groups, such as the Spaniards, the Basque and the Moors.  These meetings of cultures, both past and present, have created a rich environment for the study of food and its meanings to identity, nationalism, conflict and culinary arts.  Students will visit archaeological sites, food markets, museums and kitchens to trace the changing role of food in Spanish and Portuguese society.  Students will also attend courses to learn how to prepare some of the traditional dishes of the regions, as well as participate in seminars that examine issues of food ethics and competing food globalization and localization movements.

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