Kenya: Islam and Swahili Cultural Identity

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Explore the diverse cultures of the East African coast brought together by the Swahili language and the prevalence of Islam.

While learning Swahili, students discover how the language serves as a connecting thread linking the region's diverse populations. The program places particular emphasis on the Kenya coastal region, Swahili culture, and Islam.

Based in cosmopolitan Mombasa
The program is based in Mombasa, a historic cultural trading port and today Kenya's second largest city.

In Mombasa, students have the opportunity to encounter many of the more than 40 ethnic groups comprising Kenya's population.

Experience the coast of Kenya and beyond through excursions and homestays.
Homestays with Kenyan host families enrich each student's experience while creating a cultural framework for the study of the long history of trade and integration among Swahili speakers.

Excursions, including to the historic Lamu archipelago, give students additional exposure to the region's history and cultural richness.

Learn from in-country resources and program partners
Students engage with researchers, scientists, and local community members to gain a deeper understanding of the influence of Swahili across the region's diverse nations, religions, and ethnicities. In-country resources and program partners generally include:

University of Nairobi
Swahili Resource Center
Marine Research Institute
National Museums of Kenya

Browse this program's Independent Study Projects/Undergraduate Research

The Cradle of Swahili Civilization
The equatorial Kenyan coast, often called the "cradle of Swahili civilization," represents the nexus of a diverse community extending from Somalia to Mozambique and Madagascar, and from Zanzibar, Tanzania to Oman. This vast area shares a rich and diverse sociopolitical history, which students explore using their improved Swahili language skills.

Over the course of more than 2,000 years, Swahili speakers have traded, interacted, and intermarried with individuals from a diverse array of African communities and overseas coastal regions. The bonds between Swahili speakers provide a fascinating study of the role that language can play in influencing culture, politics, development, resource management, and globalization.

Credits: 16

Duration: Fall/Spring, 15 weeks

Program Base: Mombasa

Language Study: Swahili

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

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