Chile: Social, Economic, and Political Transformation

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Explore the political, social, and geographic dynamics shaping Chile's economic development.

Students examine industries such as forestry, mining, agriculture, and tourism to develop a panoramic understanding of how the global market and local and foreign policies impact Chile’s export-driven economy.

Students interact with policy analysts, government officials, union activists, and community leaders to learn about the broad influence of globalization on Chile's multinational companies as well as small-scale cooperatives and micro-enterprises. Intensive Spanish language study and homestays with host families in Santiago and Valle de Elicura connect students with Chilean culture and facilitate cross-cultural communication and field study.

Leading the way in South America
Amidst changes in the world economy, Chile has remained one of the most economically stable countries in South America over the past decade. Boasting the second-highest HDI (Human Development Index) in the continent, Chile excels in terms of population life expectancy, literacy, education, and standards of living.

Although Chile's booming global economy has been touted as a model economic system for South America, rapid modernization has significantly altered the lifestyles of Chilean residents and exacerbated problems such as poverty and health care inequities. Students explore these socioeconomic challenges through coursework and discussions with policy makers and government officials about the role of policy to address social concerns. Students also interact with rural and urban residents throughout Chile to gain insight into the regional effects of economic development and globalization.

Lecturers are drawn from institutions such as:

• Universidad de Santiago
• Centro de Estudios Nacionales de Desarrollo Alternativo (CENDA)
• Universidad Católica del Norte 
• Universidad de Concepción

Browse this program's Independent Study Projects/Undergraduate Research