Bolivia: Multiculturalism, Globalization, and Social Change

Coursework

Prerequisites:
Three recent semesters of college-level Spanish or equivalent and the ability to follow coursework in Spanish, as assessed by SIT .

The thematic seminar encompasses six broadly defined and related areas of inquiry. Each area entails a series of lectures, readings, and in some cases, short fieldwork assignments carried out individually or in small groups. Major thematic concerns are:
  • Historical Foundations
  • Culture
  • Economy and Development
  • The Politics of Contemporary Issues
  • Development Practices
  • The Lowlands: Land, Environment, Development, and Indigenous Movements

The following syllabi are either from a recent session of this program or for an upcoming session. 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.

Multiculturalism, Globalization, and Social Change Seminar - syllabus
(LACB 3000 / 5 credits / 75 class hours)
An interdisciplinary course conducted in Spanish, with required readings, examining Bolivia’s history and current economic, political, and cultural processes. Students consider the country’s contemporary challenges to economic development, particularly among Bolivia’s large indigenous populations and under the leadership of the first indigenous president to be elected in the Americas. Resources utilized in the delivery of course content include The Democracy Center, Centro de Estudios Superiores Universitarios at the Universidad Mayor de San Simón, Mujeres Creando, the Andean Information Network, and Water for People.

Intensive Language Study: Intermediate Spanish II - syllabus
(SPAN 2505 / 5 credits / 75 class hours)
Intensive Language Study: Advanced Spanish II - syllabus
(SPAN 3505 / 5 credits / 75 class hours)
Guided Self-Instruction: Advanced Literature - syllabus
(GSI 4005 / 5 credits / 75 class hours)
Guided Self-Instruction: Specialized Language Study - syllabus
(GSI 4005 / 5 credits / 75 class hours)
Beginning Quechua I - syllabus
(QUEC 1005/ 5 credits / 75 class hours)
Emphasis on speaking, reading, and writing skills through classroom and field instruction. Based on in-country evaluation, including oral proficiency testing, students are placed in intensive intermediate or advanced classes, with further language practice in homestays, lectures, and field visits. Students already fluent in Spanish may study Quechua in lieu of Spanish for an additional fee.

Field Study Seminar - syllabus
(ANTH 3500 / 2 credits / 30 class hours)
A course in the concepts of learning across cultures and from field experience. Introduction to the Independent Study Project. Material includes cross-cultural adaptation and skills building; project selection and refinement; appropriate methodologies; field study ethics and the World Learning/SIT Human Subjects Review Policy; developing contacts and finding resources; developing skills in observation and interviewing; gathering, organizing, and communicating data; maintaining a work journal.

Independent Study Project - syllabus
(ISPR 3000 / 4 credits / 120 class hours)
Conducted in Cochabamba, La Paz, or in another approved location in Bolivia appropriate to the project. Students have the unique option of producing a documentary film or writing and publishing a children’s book on their selected topic. Sample topic areas: film and social change; migration and family survival strategies; impact of the neoliberal development model; role of women in civil society; legacy of liberation theology today; globalization and water politics in Cochabamba; the struggle between indigenous and multinational companies over environmental rights and the nationalization of natural resources; the struggle over land rights in indigenous communities; the effect of urban violence on women in marginalized communities; the integration of traditional and Western medicine; ethno-development and cultural change; application of educational reform; the effects of global warming on glaciers in the Andes.

Browse this program's Independent Study Projects/Undergraduate Research