Chile: Political Systems and Economic Development

Coursework

Prerequisites:
Previous college-level coursework in economics, political economy, and/or development studies, as assessed by SIT. Three recent semesters of college-level Spanish or equivalent and the ability to follow coursework in Spanish, as assessed by SIT.

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The program’s interdisciplinary coursework and field studies provide students with a multifaceted understanding of Chile's history, culture, geography, and social and political structure. In addition to intensive Spanish language study and seminars led by local experts, policy makers, and social activists, students develop cross-cultural research skills through the Research Methods and Ethics course and interactions with a variety of Chilean residents. During the final month of the semester, students leverage their collective knowledge and research skills to complete an Independent Study Project.

The following course descriptions can be useful for students, faculty, and study abroad offices in assessing credit transfer. Learn more about credit transfer.

Political Systems and Modern-Day Identities - syllabus (PDF)
(LACB 3000 / 3 credits / 45 class hours)
An interdisciplinary course conducted in Spanish, with required readings, exploring the political, social, and economic dynamics affecting Chile. Students examine Chile's current political system, looking into its origins, transformations, and contemporary conformation. Students also examine industries such as forestry, mining, agriculture, and tourism to develop a comprehensive understanding of how the global market and local and foreign policies impact Chile’s export-driven economy. Additionally, students examine issues pertaining to poverty, inequality, gender, and indigenous peoples.

Lecturers are drawn from institutions such as the Universidad de Santiago, Centro de Estudios Nacionales de Desarrollo Alternativo (CENDA), the Universidad Católica del Norte, and the Universidad de Concepción.

Economic Development and Social Inequality in Chile - syllabus (PDF)
(LACB 3005 / 3 credits / 45 class hours)
This course provides an overview of Chile´s recent economic transformations and development and explores the validity of the country´s reputation as a “success story” within Latin America. It analyzes the social and economic impacts of the implementation and consolidation of a “neoliberal” economic model, focusing on the contradictory interaction between the global economy and Chile’s political economy. It seeks to understand the etiology of an overall macroeconomic success, but in a context of lingering and persistent problems, such as the ever-growing unequal distribution of wealth.

The course also examines how Chilean civil society has organized itself in order to strive for more participation in the decision-making processes that affect redistributive policies. To accomplish these objectives, the course will provide the necessary historical background concerning the establishment of the current economic model. It will also determine the characteristics of the Chilean neoliberal model and examine the Chilean export driven economy and its Free Trade Agreements as well as Chile’s relations within South America and its major production areas.

Intensive Language Study: Spanish for Social and Economic Studies I - syllabus (PDF)
(SPAN 2000/ 3 credits / 45 class hours)
Intensive Language Study: Spanish for Social and Economic Studies II - syllabus (PDF)
(SPAN 2500/ 3 credits / 45 class hours)
Intensive Language Study: Spanish for Social and Economic Studies III - syllabus (PDF)
(SPAN 3000 / 3 credits / 45 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.

Research Methods and Ethics - syllabus (PDF)
(ANTH 3500 / 3 credits / 45 class hours)
This course explores concepts in learning across cultures and from field experience. It gives students tools to develop their Independent Study Project in Chile. 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; and maintaining a work journal.

Independent Study Project - syllabus (PDF)
(ISPR 3000 / 4 credits / 120 class hours)
The Independent Study Project (ISP) is an opportunity for students to critically examine a topic, situation, or community related to social, economic, and political transformation in Chile. Sample topic areas for the ISP include: foreign investment and export production; role of shipping and transport in the export-led economic model; Latin American dependency in a new light; gender relations and households in the new global economy; poverty, income distribution, and changing patterns of labor participation; indigenous societies and global capitalism; US foreign policy and the Chilean economic model.

Browse this program's Independent Study Projects/Undergraduate Research

Credits: 16

Duration: 15 weeks

Program Base: Santiago

Language Study: Spanish

Prerequisites: Coursework in economics, political economy, or development studies; 3 semesters Spanish Read more...