Program Overview
The Southern Africa region has struggled for decades against the lasting impacts of colonialization, including suffering through the years of apartheid, the struggle for liberation, and nations gripped by ethnic and racial tensions. On this two-country program to South Africa and Namibia, you will examine the historical and cultural reasons behind these issues, while also studying the emerging contemporary movements for racial and environmental justice.
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Highlights
- Learn about the challenges posed by underdevelopment, globalization, extreme inequality, and the legacies of apartheid.
- Frequent guest speakers, excursions, and hands-on active learning to immerse you in the community and culture.
- Complete a for-credit internship at a local nonprofit that serves the community in which you are studying.
- Participate on a program run by an organization dedicated to social justice, which uplifts the voices of underrepresented and marginalized peoples in all programs.
- Homestays with welcoming and friendly folks in each country, and gay and lesbian-friendly homestays in Windhoek are available upon request!
Courses & Internships
- Racism and Resistance in Southern Africa and the U.S. (History 327) - required course
- Political and Social Change in Southern Africa (Political Science 353)
- Environmental connections: Environment and Sustainability in Southern Africa (Environmental Studies 100)
- The Politics of Development in Southern Africa (Political Science 354)
- Religion and Social Change in Southern Africa (Religion 376)
- An internship or an independent study for credit in: Cross-Cultural Studies, Environmental Studies, Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies, History, Interdisciplinary Studies, Political Science, or Religion
- Yoga (Recreational Wellness 118)
Student Life
Students will stay in the CGEE house for a portion of the semester, a 10-minute walk from downtown Windhoek. A vibrant capital city; students will find traditional and international cuisines, art galleries, contemporary shopping malls, live concerts, and public gardens where festivals are held throughout the year. Students can travel anywhere from an outdoor craft and food market in Windhoek’s township areas to a movie theater in the suburbs for one low taxi fare. Students are sure to run into many friendly faces as they explore the various cultural and entertainment activities that this community has to offer. Students will also have host family stays throughout the semester in both rural and urban areas of Namibia and South Africa.
In addition to the Windhoek portion of the program, students will also have the opportunity to travel, with built-in excursions (included in the cost of the program) to Johannesburg, Cape Town, and the Eastern Cape in South Africa, as well as short trips to Etosha Game National Reserve, the Atlantic Coast, Lüderitz, and rural areas of Namibia.
Why This Program?
This program is perfect for students that have an interest in racial equity activism, exploring the impacts of climate change and its effects on environmental justice, political science, and understanding developing economies thereby working towards social change through experiential education.
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