SATA Oaxaca, Fall 2010

SATA Oaxaca is located in one of the most significant cultural and political centers in México. The colonial center of Oaxaca city has been designated by the United Nations as a World Cultural Heritage Site, the state’s indigenous population is the largest in the country, and historically Oaxaca is one of the most politically active regions in México. Combined, these features make Oaxaca a perfect fit for “the College’s commitment to providing diverse opportunities to learn about and engage with the worlds’ cultures and environments.”

SATA Oaxaca will be led by professor Michael James (Education) and Professor Leo Garofalo (History) and focuses a semester’s study on the themes of immigration, indigenous rights and movements, and socially engaged education and employs service learning and Foreign Language Across the Curriculum components. All courses will be held at the Cultural Institute of Oaxaca, which is situated in a beautiful 19th century hacienda located in the middle of the colonial city.

SATA Oaxaca 2010 coincides with the bicentennial of the Mexican Independence from Spain. We feel fortunate to be able to study in Mexico during this important national celebration.

Informational Meetings

The easiest and most efficient way to secure information about the Oaxaca program is to contact either of the two professors. There will also be additional information sessions throughout the fall semester. Most will be held in Harris (1973 Room) during lunch. Watch for announcements in the Daily Conntact.

Arrangements

As in all SATA programs, each student’s financial arrangements and obligations, mainly the comprehensive fee and financial aid, are the same as they would be if he or she were staying at Connecticut College for the semester. The SATA Oaxaca 2010 program includes round-trip travel from New York, room and board in Mexico, and all group field trips in Mexico. In Oaxaca, students live with local Mexican families. Typically, home stays will either be single or doubles with private baths.

Courses offered in 2010

Students of all majors are encouraged to apply to this program. Professors James and Garofalo will work with interested students to assist them in course selection.

NOTE: All courses with the exception of the Spanish language course are cross-listed in History and Education. There is the potential that other departments may be added later.

Spanish Language and Culture (6 credits). 
Required of all students.
Each class is very small, typically 4 or 5 students, and meets for 3 hours each morning, Monday through Thursday. Students learn from a textbook and close interaction with the teachers from the Cultural Institute of Oaxaca. Emphasis is on speaking and listening competence. In addition, each student will be paired with a local Oaxacan who is learning English for informal conversation and cultural exchange. For students fluent or highly proficient in Spanish, there is the option of studying an indigenous language such as Zapotec or Mixtec.

The History of the Mexican Revolution (4 credits)
Required of all students.
This team-taught course is an interdisciplinary examination of key moments and trends in 20th century Mexican history that have shaped contemporary Mexican society, including its educational system, the status of women, native peoples and social movements. The course requires a 1 credit service-learning internship conducted in Spanish to help students develop a deeper knowledge of select themes. (see below) The course meets twice a week for 2.5 hours.

Internships/Service Learning (FLAC) (1 credit)
Each student will be placed with a community partner in Oaxaca city. As an example, these one-credit Foreign Language Across the Curriculum (FLAC) courses might be with local schools, indigenous rights organizations, an orphanage, an environmental justice group, a health clinic, local media, etc. The placements will parallel our collective study of the history of Mexico and will be as closely tailored to the students’ interests as possible. 

Elective Courses (each course meets once a week for 2.5 hours):
There is the possibility that additional courses will be added later.

HIS/EDU 4XX Immigration and Migration in México (4 credits)
This course is an examination of how gender, race, and economics shape Mexico’s internal migration and international immigration experiences, including the displacements and emigration of indigenous peoples. The course employs oral history and covers the origins of various Mexican populations, including Mexico's black, Jewish, and Chinese populations.

EDU/HIS 3XX Education and the Revolutionary Project in Latin America (4 credits)
This course uses four case studies to consider the formal and informal role of education in the twentieth-century revolutionary ideology of Mexico, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Through text, film and interviews students will compare the four national revolutionary ideologies to U.S. education.

Schedule, Travel, Excursions

SATA Oaxaca 2010 students will depart as a group from John F. Kennedy Airport in New York in early September, 2010. In Oaxaca, they will follow an academic calendar similar to that of Connecticut College, modified by México’s national holidays including the bicentennial and Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)

In addition to classes, there will be multiple one and two day trips to local sites of historical, political and cultural interest including the pre-Columbian site of Monte Alban, the Costa Chica, including the indigenous community of Juchitan, as well as Afro-Mestizo communities. These trips will typically coincide with a weekly Common Hour where we will engage with local leaders, artists, educators, and activists. As an example, as we study the impact of globalization on local indigenous communities, and speak with local leaders from around Oaxaca, we will then travel to the community for detailed study and engagement. In addition, there will be at least two longer trips: a week-long trip to the southern border region of Mexico and Guatemala to study first-hand migration and immigration into Mexico, and a week-long trip to Mexico City. Students are also encouraged to take occasional weekend trips after consultation with their professors.

The end of the semester, like the beginning, will closely coincide with that at Connecticut College. Students will be ticketed to depart Oaxaca around the middle of December for their return to the US. Students are free, however, to arrange for later departure or rerouting, subject to current airline rules and regulations, at their own initiative and expense.

Connecticut College students interested in SATA Oaxaca 2010 should contact Professors James or Garofalo or the staff in the Office of Study Away, Fanning 113.

Last Modified: Monday, November 16, 2009 15:21