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SATA Cuba, Spring 2013
The first SATA Cuba program will be directed by Professor Michael James (Education) during the Spring 2013 semester. Based in the capital city of Havana, the program will be hosted by the Centro Memorial Martin Luther King, Jr. (‘MLK Center’). One of the first European settlements in the “new world,” Havana boasts 16th century forts and a city center that was designated a World Heritage Center by the UN. The lack of commercial advertising and the presence of thousands of pre-1960 American cars on the city’s streets are only a few of the idiosyncrasies that make Havana a truly unique place. As the only socialist country in the western hemisphere, Cuba offers a unique educational opportunity for US students.
Informational Meetings
Students who are interested in learning more about SATA Cuba or who have questions about the program are encouraged to attend a SATA Cuba Informational Meeting.
Informational meetings are scheduled to take place on the following dates:
- April 4th at 7:00 pm in the Johnson Common Room
- April 9th at 7:00 pm in the Knowlton Common Room
- April 18th at 7:00 pm in the Johnson Common Room
- April 24h at 7:00 pm in the Knowlton Common Room
Additional meetings will take place early in September 2012 prior to the CC Study Away Application Deadline.
Housing & Cultural Immersion
Students will be housed with families located with walking distance of the MLK Center in the Marianao neighborhood, allowing for excellent exposure to Cuban daily life and an unprecedented opportunity to improve language skills. Students will meet and interact with Cuban youth affiliated with the MLK Center, who will provide another point of entry into Cuban life and culture.
Field trips, workshops and meetings with social actors will be a daily element in the SATA program, with guest lectures by some of Cubans leading academics and intellectuals. The program also includes a week-long tour of central Cuba, with visits to historic sites and agricultural cooperatives. Students will also have the opportunity for service-learning on several weekends.
Courses
The SATA Cuba program will offer four required courses for a total of 16 credits. This program is open to all majors.
AMERICAN STUDIES 322: CUBA IN/AND THE AMERICAS
An overview of the cultural, social, educational and political changes in Cuba during the 20th and early 21st centuries, focusing on nationalism and internationalism, the Communist Party, race, gender and sexuality, and US-Cuban relations. The course is cross listed with CCSRE, GWS, and Education.
SPANISH LANGUAGE
Based on the language needs of students accepted into the program, two to three levels of Spanish will be offered. These levels may include; conversational Spanish, advanced conversational Spanish, and Cuban literature (for native Spanish speakers). The primary focus, especially at lower levels, is spoken language proficiency. All students will be given a language competency assessment upon arrival and then placed in an appropriate level. Students may not repeat any previously completed language coursework.
EDUCATION 350: EDUCATION AND THE REVOLUTIONARY PROJECT IN LATIN AMERICA
An analysis of the role of popular education in twentieth-century revolutionary ideology in Latin America. Students will examine the Zapatista movement in México, Marxist education in Cuba, and the Sandinista literacy campaign in Nicaragua. The course begins with an analysis of the radical Brazilian philosopher and educator, Paolo Freire. This is the same course as American Studies/Comparative Race and Ethnicity/Gender and Women’s Studies 350.
CUBAN POLITICAL ECONOMY
This course is an overview of Cuban political economy. From an export and tourist driven economy based on sugar plantations and gambling before 1959, to five decades of uneven experiments in socialism, Cuba's political economy is unique in the western hemisphere. This course offers a theoretical and practical overview of the many changes, including a review of the colonial model, an evaluation of the six economic eras since 1959, and an overview of the newly proposed economic reforms. Students will need departmental approval to have this count towards their major or minor.
Arrangements
As with all SATA programs, the student's financial arrangements and obligations, including the comprehensive fee and financial aid, remain the same as if the student were staying at Connecticut College for the semester. The SATA Cuba program includes round-trip international travel, room and board in Cuba, and all group field trips in Cuba.
Connecticut College students interested in SATA Cuba should contact Professor James and the Office of Study Away in 113 Fanning Hall.
