Indonesia: Arts, Religion, and Social Change
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This program is titled Indonesia: Balinese Identity and the Arts for the fall 2010 semester.
“SIT in Bali was an amazing program. I had an extraordinary experience I could not have had anywhere else in the world.”
-- Fall 2009 student
Explore religion, fine arts, performing arts, and social organization in contemporary Bali.
Learn Balinese dance, the music of the Balinese gamelan ensembles, mask making, and other local artistic practices alongside well respected masters of their field.
This program examines the interaction between traditional Balinese arts and culture, rising economic and political forces, and globalization. Students consider current and emerging debates on the future of Balinese culture and society in relation to global pressures such as increased development and international tourism.
Specific emphasis is placed on traditional and shifting Balinese art. Students frequently attend religious and other cultural ceremonies and have the opportunity to pursue practicum lessons of local art forms.
Coursework is taught by Indonesian and international academics, local writers, artists, and community leaders. Homestays with Indonesian families and excursions around Bali immerse students in different Balinese communities. Intensive language study of Bahasa Indonesia, which at its beginning levels is among the most accessible of all Asian languages, provides students further access into the life and society of contemporary Bali and Indonesia.
A predominantly Hindu island in this otherwise Muslim nation, Bali offers students a blend of religious and cultural influences, a rich artistic heritage, and a window into the continued importance of religion and tradition in daily Indonesian life.
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A Study of Cultural Preservation and Adaptation Today, Bali offers a microcosm of the contending forces and contradictions at play throughout Indonesia. Bali’s economy is largely based on tourism, export handicrafts, and its unique cultural institutions which provide a continuing source of social cohesion. However, Bali’s reputation as an economic safe haven and international tourist destination have brought with it new demographic problems and a rising sense that the Balinese must redefine who they are and what the nature of their participation should be in building the Indonesian state. |
| Learn how one recent program participant combined modern and Balinese traditional dance to create an original choreographed piece performed by Balinese dancers, as reported in The Jakarta Post. |
Duration: Fall/Spring, 15 weeks
Program Base: Bedulu
Language Study: Bahasa Indonesia
Prerequisites: None
Phone:
888.272.7881 (toll-free in US)
802.258.3212
TTY:
802.258.3388
Fax:
802.258.3296
Mailing Address:
PO Box 676, 1 Kipling Road
Brattleboro, VT 05302 USA