Examine how cultural memory and collective identities engage present-day social movements and rewrite Mediterranean geopolitics.
16
None
Spanish
English
Jan 27 – May 11
Spain
Morocco
Seville, Spain
Geopolitics & Power
Peace & Justice
In recent decades social movements, protests, and collective action have become central to the political landscape of the Mediterranean. From the program base in Seville and during a 10-day excursion to Morocco, you will engage with politicians, activists, NGOs, and grassroots organizations to understand the most pressing issues in the region. These movements have emerged to consolidate neglected rights, raise awareness of political and social conflicts, show discontent, and advocate for the rights of minorities and disenfranchised identities. This voluntary gathering and collective action acts as a catalyst for broad social change and cultural transformation, and has become a hallmark of Spanish politics. In Seville and Morocco, you will meet with various stakeholders throughout the semester, as well as design independent study projects to delve deeply into research that focuses on these issues.
Modern democracies are increasingly challenged to understand what happens beyond the major institutions of governance, and Spain is an excellent place to understand what has been called the “politics of the streets.” In Spain, nationalist and independence movements, feminist and women’s rights movements, anti-austerity movements, anti-eviction organizations, educational organizations, and environmental organizations compose a major part of the political and social landscape. Through site visits, lectures, excursions, and independent research, you’ll see how social movements are formed and how political action is advanced across a variety of social sectors.
None
During the 10-day excursion to northern Morocco, you will explore the cities of Tangier, Tétouan, and Chefchaouen to learn about the historical and current cultural and political relations between Spain and North Africa. During a visit to the NGO 100% Mamans, learn about women’s rights movements in Morocco through the organization’s holistic approach to supporting single mothers and children through social support and economic initiatives. In Tangier, visit the Hercules Caves and the Cap Spartel lighthouse to understand Morocco’s and Spain’s geopolitical importance in the Mediterranean, which stretches back thousands of years. During a visit to Ceuta, a Spanish city on the North African coast, you’ll discuss the global impacts and interconnections between Spain and Morocco, and the ways in which communities on both sides of the Mediterranean are affected by the current mass migration of people from sub-Saharan Africa into Europe. Through meetings with political and social actors, as well as with academics, you will examine the multidimensional complexities of northern Morocco as well as learn from an active and participatory civil society.
Please note that SIT will make every effort to maintain its programs as described. To respond to emergent situations, however, SIT may have to change or cancel programs.
Upon successful completion of the program, students will be able to:
Read more about Program Learning Outcomes.
The following syllabi are representative of this program. Because courses develop and change over time to take advantage of dynamic learning opportunities, actual course content will vary from term to term.
The syllabi can be useful for students, faculty, and study abroad offices in assessing credit transfer. Read more about credit transfer.
Social Movements, Collective Action, and Democracy – syllabus
(EURO3000 / 3 credits)
In this seminar, students will study the rise, consolidation, and reaction against social movements concerned with human rights, identity politics, memory recovery, labor rights, women’s rights, and migration, among others. This course analyzes how and when social movements emerge, how they organize, how they act, the relations and alliances they form, or the discourses they create. Contemporary and classic social movement theory, as well as the analysis of empirical cases from different parts of Europe, Morocco, and Spain, will help students understand the question of the future role that these movements may have as collective political actors in the coming years.
Cultural Identity and Transformations in the Mediterranean – syllabus
(EURO3500 / 3 credits)
During this multidisciplinary course, students will study the state of relations between Spain, Morocco, and the European Union, as well as other countries in the region. The course will also analyze in depth the ways in which local communities struggle to preserve cultural roots, identity, and their own memory and history. Students will also study how these issues are understood and experienced from outside of the EU at different levels, learning from a global perspective with a comparative lens.
Beginning Spanish I – syllabus
(SPAN1003 / 3 credits)
Beginning Spanish II – syllabus
(SPAN1503 / 3 credits)
Intermediate Spanish – syllabus
(SPAN2003 / 3 credits)
Spanish for Political and Cultural Studies: Intermediate High – syllabus
(SPAN2503 / 3 credits)
Spanish for Political and Cultural Studies: Advanced – syllabus
(SPAN-3003 / 3 credits)
This course aims to develop sophisticated skills in speaking, understanding, reading, and writing Spanish for political and cultural studies through traditional classroom instruction and field-based activities. While emphasis is placed primarily upon oral comprehension and developing conversational competencies (i.e. listening and speaking), reading and writing are also highlighted as crucial to the reinforcement of those skills.
The homestay experience helps the student hone their proficiency in conversational Spanish and grasp cultural practices in the Spanish world. Vocabulary about political and cultural contexts is built into the course and introduced through audiovisual materials and experiential activities accompanying the textbook that has been specifically prepared for SIT program students. This high intermediate level of Spanish gives the students in-depth background into everyday life, enabling the grasp of critical language skills necessary for performing a variety of activities. The objective of the course is to review and expand on topics including communicating with Spanish-speaking politicians and activists, building the student’s practical terminology in Spanish, and enhancing the student’s oral and written communication skills in Spanish.
Research Methods and Ethics – syllabus
(ANTH3500 / 3 credits)
This seminar introduces students to the conceptual and practical tools for gathering primary data and the knowledge and skills that are essential to forming constructive relationships with organizations and/or individuals, which are necessary for completing an academic project in the cultural context of Spain. The main emphasis is on the development of empirical tools and ethics of interactive research skills involving the collection of primary data. The seminar includes lectures on qualitative research methods for social movement study, politics, human rights work in the field. The seminar uses lectures, readings, and field assignments to prepare students to undertake field study in the cultural context of Spain in strict observance of research procedures involving human subjects and the regulatory ethical norms defined by the Study Abroad Review Board (SARB) and SIT’s Institutional Review Board (IRB). The overall aim is to help students hone their experience-based learning processes and prepare them for the development of an Independent Study Project (ISP), which is largely based on data gathered from primary sources.
Independent Study Project – syllabus
(ISPR3000 / 4 credits)
The Independent Study Project (ISP) is a self-designed research project offering students the opportunity to undertake a personally significant and independent investigation, which highlights the regional and cultural reality that can only be encountered during a study abroad experience. The ISP is the academic component in which the student most directly applies the concepts, skills, tools, and techniques of experience-based learning articulated through the Research Methods and Ethics course and the thematic courses, while enabling students to further integrate their language skills and the contacts they have developed in the homestay and in the broader community. Each student will plan, develop, and independently undertake a research project, with the advice and guidance of the academic director and an ISP Advisor—a local academic and/or health or humanitarian aid professional. The topic of study may be anything of interest to the student, within the scope of the program and the immediate region, and is usually developed out of lectures, discussions, field visits, and educational excursions. The final project should provide material evidence of student capability in utilizing appropriate methodologies and in synthesizing experiences in the host culture. Students are expected to complete 120 hours of field-based (non-archival, non-library) research on their topic, submit a substantial written paper, and deliver an accompanying oral presentation. It is not uncommon for ISPs to strongly contribute to the student’s choice of subject for graduate studies or professional career.
Sample topic areas:
Spend 12 weeks living with a local family in the multicultural city of Seville and become immersed in the daily life and the rich cultural heritage of your host family. You’ll experience what it’s like to be part of a Andalusian family as you participate in colorful Spanish traditions and celebrations.
Your host family will share their insider tips about how to spend leisure time in and around the city, and the best places to enjoy tapas.
Experience tradition and modernity in a city with a small town-vibe where you will be able to enjoy a walk home admiring some of the UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Plaza España, The Cathedral, the Alcazars, Giralda, and others.
Sevilla is the birthplace of Flamenco, and was the first city named a UNESCO Creative City of Music due to the vibrant performing and visual arts cultures.
Hostels and modest hotels
Students on this program may consider career paths in different sectors including with:
Public policy consultancy organizations
Pressure groups
Public relations companies
European Commission delegation in Washington
International development agencies
Government and administrative institutions
SIT Study Abroad is committed to ensuring that international education is within reach for all students. We believe in the transformative power of immersive, intercultural experiences and are dedicated to supporting students in their educational journey.
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