Brazil: Social Justice and Sustainable Development

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Northeastern Brazil is a patchwork of contrasting elements: millionaires and peasants; abundant rainforests and drought-plagued agriculture; avant-garde architecture and slums all simultaneously coexist in this complex region.

Within this paradoxical context, this program examines the vast human and environmental challenges confronting northeast Brazil's populations and the impact of social inequities on economic growth. Students interact with different ethnic groups, including indigenous and Afro Brazilian populations, to gain insight into the challenges and benefits of implementing social change within a multicultural environment.

The program is based in Fortaleza, the modern seaside capital of the state of Ceará. Students attend classes at the Instituto Brasil/Estados Unidos/Ceará (IBEU-CE), a bi-national center dedicated to the promotion of cultural ties and understanding between the people of Brazil and the United States. Local academics, community leaders, and researchers lead lectures and seminars on Brazilian culture, development, and social justice. Students engage with leading organizations working to promote social justice in the area including the Movement of Landless Rural Workers (MST) and Banco Palmas.

Excursion sites typically include one other location in northeast Brazil, such as Recife, Salvador, or São Luis.

Homestays with families from a range of socioeconomic levels deepen students' understanding of inequities in health care, education, employment, land, and basic resources in this culturally diverse and economically challenged region of Brazil.