Luther Center for Global Learning
J-Term 2016Off-Campus Courses
1st Round Priority Application: April 1– April 22, 2015
2nd Round Application (for space-available programs): August 24 – September 21, 2015
Course Information:The academic discipline, course number, title of course, location(s), instructor(s), and brief description for each off-campusJ-Term course are listed below. In addition, the information highlights the number of credits,whether or not the course fulfills the international studies minor immersion requirement (IS) and/or language minor immersion requirement (LANG), and the All College Requirements fulfilled through the course (see page 19 of the 2014-15 Luther College Catalog for a description). All courses are offered graded (A-F) unless otherwise noted. All courses fulfill the J-II requirement for off-campus studies.For additional details includingmaps, itineraries, pictures, required immunizations and fees, visit the Center for Global Learning (Larsen Hall 130) or
Applying Online:Applicants must apply online.The online application will become active on April 1 at 8:00 AM.
Go to . Click on the course to which you want to apply. On the next page, click Apply Now. You will be prompted to login to the system with your Luther username and password (NorseKey).Once you have selected a term (J-Term, 2016), you will be on the application page for the program. In addition to completing the application, make sure you also complete the recommendation section. As part of the application process, you will apply for your 1st choice program and may indicate 2nd and 3rd choices (if you have alternate choices). Make sure you click on SUBMIT in order to complete the process. Questions? Contact the Center for Global Learning (x1062) or .
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
Africana Studies 239/Environmental Studies 239: Environmental Justice & Sustainable Development in SouthAfrica (South Africa)
INSTRUCTORS: Joy Conrad (Modern Languages & Literatures); Emily Neal(Center for Sustainable Communities)
Course Description:In this course, students will explore the environmental, political, and ethical issues raised by both development and conservation projects in South Africa and the competing priorities they reflect. Students will examine the complexities of environmental justice and sustainable development within the context of rapid economic growth in a nation with a legacy of social inequality. The course will cover topics related to energy and water rights, conservation, resource extraction, and urbanization and will include a visit to a wildlife reserve as well as a service-learning project in a rural community.
Credits: 4Est. Cost: $4,500-$4,850
Immersion: ISEst. Add’l Meal Cost: $300
All College Requirement(s): NoneMax. Enrollment: 20
Prerequisite: Consent of Instructors
Paideia 450: People and Parks: Pastoralism and Conservation in East Africa (Tanzania)
INSTRUCTORS: Lori Stanley (Anthropology); Brad Chamberlain (Chemistry)
Course Description:This course will examine the tension between the national parks movement and pastoralist societies through the lens of the Maasai people in northern Tanzania and southern Kenya. Of particular interest is how wildlife conservation efforts and ecotourism have impacted the relationship of Maasai to their environment, in turn causing rapid cultural change such as shifts from herding to agropastoralism and wage labor; modification of coming-of-age rituals; and increasing adoption of formal modes of education and Christianity in place of or alongside traditional modes and beliefs. From bases near the city of Arusha and the small town of Monduli, we will study “traditional” Maasai culture and examine the ways in which the Maasai of northern Tanzania are adapting to changing social, political, economic, and environmental conditions. Students will interact with Maasaibomas (multi-family compounds) in the bush. We will also visit the African Wildlife Foundation, the Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area, the Manyara Ranch Conservancy, Gibbs Farm (a luxury resort for western tourists that highlights Maasai culture), and the pilgrimage route at the OldoinyoLengai volcano in order to explore points of intersection between wildlife conservation programs, ecotourism, and pastoralist societies.
Credits: 4 Est. Cost: $4,650-$5,275
Immersion: ISEst. Add’l Meal Cost: $300
All College Requirement(s): Paideia 450, IntclMax. Enrollment: 16
Prerequisites: Junior/Senior, Paideia 111 and 112, Consent of Instructors
SOUTH and EAST ASIA
Paideia 450: Stability and Change in Vietnam (Vietnam)
INSTRUCTORS: Steve Holland (Economics); John Moeller (Political Science)
Course Description:We will begin our exploration of Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City, where we will experience the changing Vietnam in the form of a modern commercial city. We then will travel to the Mekong Delta, a world of waterways, farming, and rural charm, resting on the South China Sea. We will travel to the center of Vietnam where we will visit historical sites, eat traditional food, and learn more about the Vietnamese culture. We will end our exploration with visits to Hanoi, more like an old colonial city than Ho Chi Minh City, and the stunningly beautiful Halong Bay.
Credits: 4Est. Cost: $4,150-$4,450
Immersion: ISEst. Add’l Meal Cost: $300
All College Requirement(s): Paideia 450, IntclMax. Enrollment: 24
Prerequisite: Junior/Senior, Paideia 111 and 112, Consent of Instructors
Religion 264: Disaster and Enlightenment: Pilgrimages in China and Japan (Japan, Hong Kong SAR, China)
INSTRUCTOR: Gereon Kopf (Religion); Lea Lovelace (Visual & Performing Arts)
Course Description:This course explores traditional and new forms of pilgrimages in China and Japan. In particular, it examines two kinds of pilgrimages: traditional ones to sacred mountains, sanctuaries, and other religious pilgrimage sites, on the one side, and pilgrimages to memorials that commemorate immense natural and human catastrophes in Sendai (3/11 earthquake and tsunami), Hiroshima (dropping of the first atomic bomb), and Nanjing (1937/8 massacre), on the other. What connects these two kinds of pilgrimages is the importance attributed to memory, the desire for healing, and the need for reflection. The goal of this course is to investigate the religious and political dimensions of memory, self-cultivation, and contemplation. The course accomplishes this goal by examining questions such as:What is the social dimension of religious pilgrimages?What is the moral dimension of memory? And what is the spiritual dimension of healing and reconciliation?
Credits: 4Est. Cost: $4,750-$4,950
Immersion: ISEst. Add’l Meal Cost: $500
All College Requirement(s): HE, Rel, IntclMax. Enrollment: 16
Prerequisite: REL 101, 111, or 112, Consent of Instructor
LATIN AMERICA and THE CARIBBEAN
Anthropology 239: The Price of Progress: Impacts of Mining and Tourism on Indigenous Peoples in the Andes (Chile)
INSTRUCTOR: Anita Carrasco (Anthropology)
Course Description: The course explores the pressures that transnational mining and tourist corporations have on key resources like water in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. In particular, we will examine how these pressures affect the sustainability of indigenous peoples that have depended on water for agriculture and pastoralism since time immemorial. The course will focus on the Atacameño culture of northern Chile, examining the ways in which they are adapting to, or in some cases resisting the social, political, economic and environmental conditions that are affecting them. The course also explores how mining and tourist corporations have adopted the discourse of ‘corporate social responsibility’ in trying to convince the public that they are practicing ‘green’ mining and ‘green’ tourism. The course will be based in the town of San Pedro de Atacama, and we will take several day trips to visit sites of interest in the surrounding area. Some of these sites include: the remote traditional villageof Caspana (including a 4-day stay there), a geyser field called El Tatio, a high altitude lagoon Miscanti and Chuquicamata mine, the largest open pit copper mine in the world.
Credits: 4 Est. Cost: $4,450-$4,775
Immersion: ISEst. Add’l Meal Cost: $400
All College Requirement(s): HB, IntclMax. Enrollment: 16
Prerequisites: Consent of Instructor
English 239: “Tales of the Sea” on the Windjammer, Roseway (Virgin Islands)
INSTRUCTOR: Nick Preus (English)
Course Description: This J-Term, “Tales of the Sea” and the schooner, Roseway, will sail in the Virgin Islands.This region of the Caribbean has a rich history and contains some of the best sailing in the world, with clear waters, fresh wind, and rugged coastlines. We will sail from island to island, reading, writing, snorkeling, hiking, sailing small boats, and crewing on the last of the working Grand Banks schooners. As we voyage we will read what sailors before us have said about the sea, and record our own reflections in journals and during anchor-watches. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience how people traveled the oceans on the power of the wind. Explore the history, literature, and hands-on life of the sea. This course is open to all majors, no experience necessary. Just bring your sense of adventure.
Credits: 4Est. Cost: $3,275-$3,750
Immersion: NoneEst. Add’l Meal Cost: $75
All College Requirement(s): HEPTMax. Enrollment: 16
Prerequisites: Paideia 111 and 112 or transfer equivalents, Consent of Instructor
Paideia 450: Borders, Migration, and Identity: the Dominican Republic and Haiti (Dominican Republic, Haiti)
INSTRUCTORS: Wanda Diefelt (Religion); Rita Tejada (Modern Languages & Literatures)
Course Description:This course will offer a first-hand opportunity to study the social, economic, cultural and religious effects that displacement (whether voluntary or involuntary) has, particularly on disenfranchised communities. It will focus on the construction and renegotiation of people’s identities as they face migration, immigration, and displacement. Particular attention will be given to human rights as social groups face the weakening or loss of support networks (provided, for instance, by family, neighbors, religion, work place, citizenship rights, education, etc.) and what mechanisms are put in place to enable survival. Themes to be considered include working conditions, gender constructions, violence, religious discourse, race, politics, and access to education. The course will take place in Haiti (3-5 days) and the Dominican Republic (2 1/2 weeks).
Credits: 4Est. Cost: $3,775-$4,350
Immersion: ISEst. Add’l Meal Cost: $400
All College Requirement(s): Paideia 450Max. Enrollment: 24
Prerequisites: Junior/Senior, Paideia 111 and 112, Consent of Instructors
Science 139: Belize: Environmental Implications of Eco-Adventure Growth in Central America (Belize)
INSTRUCTORS: Mark Eichinger (Biology); Jeff Boeke (Health & Physical Education)
Course Description:This course will be based on Ambergris Caye, a small island off the coast of Belize. Students will spend a significant amount of time studying the ecology and taxonomy of the many ecosystems this unique area provides. We will take daily field excursions to the barrier reef and mainland rainforest destinations. Students will explore relationships between adventure recreation and ecotourism, in the responsible use of natural resources. Additionally, we will learn of the opportunities and challenges presented to Belizeans by the rapid growth of adventure related tourism. Activities will include snorkeling, cave tubing, canopy tours, field observations, and assigned readings.
Credits: 4Est. Cost: $3,725-$3,975
Immersion: NoneEst. Add’l Meal Cost: $100
All College Requirement(s): NWNL Max. Enrollment: 18
Prerequisite: Consent of Instructors
Spanish 340: Language and Culture in the Spanish-Speaking World (Cuba)
INSTRUCTOR: Alfredo Alonso Estenoz (Modern Languages & Literatures)
Course Description: This January Term study abroad course introduces students to the culture of Cuba firsthand. In addition to language and culture instruction at the University of Havana, students live with host families, participate in cultural activities and guided visits to sites that illustrate the diverse cultural history of the country. Two full-day excursions include a visit to Las Terrazas, a small sustainable mountain community and nature reserve, and the city of Matanzas. This course satisfies the immersion requirement for the Spanish minor as well as the all-college intercultural requirement.
Credits: 4Est. Cost: $3,825-$4,175
Immersion: IS, LANGEst. Add’l Meal Cost: $300
All College Requirement(s): IntclMax. Enrollment: 16
Prerequisites: Span 302 strongly recommended, Consent of Instructor
EUROPE
Art 290: Art in Cultural Perspective: European Art History, Gothic Renaissance, and the New Media Art (France, Germany, Italy)
INSTRUCTOR: Richard Merritt (Visual & Performing Arts)
Course Description:This course examines broadly the breadth and depth of art history from the Renaissance to Contemporary New Media. With an emphasis on art, the tolls of its production, and its social and political surroundings, the student will address how it has developed and functioned in temporal context. Our studies will include: Florence and Siena, Italy; Paris, France; and Karlsruhe, Germany, where we plan to visit the ZentrumFürKunstundMedientechnologie (The Center for Art and New Media Technology). Papers will be assigned in Florence, Strasbourg and Paris.
Credits: 4Est. Cost: $4,225-$4,600
Immersion: ISEst. Add’l Meal Cost: $500
All College Requirement(s): HEPT, Intcl Max. Enrollment: 20
Prerequisites: Consent of Instructor
English 239: In Frankenstein’s Footsteps: The Keats-Shelley Circle in London, Geneva, and Italy (England, Switzerland,Italy)
INSTRUCTOR: Amy Weldon (English)
Course Description: Mary Shelley composed her famous novel Frankenstein (1818) amid a whirlwind of personal turmoil, important friendships, and significant travel. This course will retrace the path of her journeys from childhood to Frankenstein, visiting sites associated with her and her circle—including John Keats, Percy Shelley, and Lord Byron—in London, Geneva, Venice, Florence, and Rome as we investigate the relationships between an author's historical and imaginative realities.
Credits: 4Est. Cost: $4,200-$4,550
Immersion: ISEst. Add’l Meal Cost: $500
All College Requirement(s): HEPT,Hist Max. Enrollment: 16
Prerequisites: Paideia 111 and 112 or transfer equivalents, Consent of Instructor
French 347: Introduction to Commercial French (France)
INSTRUCTOR: Anne-Marine Feat (Modern Languages & Literatures)
Course Description: This course will provide students with an overview of the French-speaking workplace, as well as industry-specific language skills in a professional environment. We will be based in Western France, allowing the students to understand the wide variety of French regional cultures. Students will have the opportunity to converse and interact with leaders from local organizations and governmental branches as well as to intern in companies/organizations linked to their professional field of interest. This practical experience will give participants specific duties and responsibilities in a business environment. Each intern will have an opportunity to be trained by French professionals on site (such as family businesses, restaurants, youth, and social centers, schools, banks, hospitals, vet clinics, farms, etc.) providing valuable on-the-job experience. Travels will be framed by the rich and complex city of Paris, with the opportunity to compare different perceptions of provincial vs. urban economy.
Credits: 4Est. Cost: $3,800-$4,275
Immersion: IS, LANGEst. Add’l Meal Cost: $250
All College Requirement(s): HB, IntclMax. Enrollment: 20
Prerequisites: FREN 202, Consent of Instructor
International Studies 239: At the Crossroads of Culture and History: Music, Arts, and Ideas in Vienna, Austria (Austria, Czech Republic)
INSTRUCTORS: John Strauss (Music); Virginia Strauss (Music)
Course Description: Since its founding in Roman times, Vienna has been a crossroads between East and West, a place where peoples, cultures, and ideas have clashed, cross-pollinated, and found artistic and political accommodation. A polyglot musical culture, for example, materially supported by the Catholic Church and an artistically ambitious aristocracy, gave rise to a classical tradition that endures to the present day. This course will look at contemporary Vienna through the shifting prism of history, examining such topics as the cultural and political legacies of the Hapsburg Empire, the clash between Islam and Christendom, the period from the
Edict of Toleration to the Holocaust, the Austrian Baroque and Viennese Classicism, Fin de Siècle Vienna, and the Viennese melting pot in the age of the European
Union. The course will include daily readings, lectures, discussions, on-site visits to museums, art galleries, churches, palaces, and the United Nations and attendance at two operas and three concerts.
Credits: 4Est. Cost: $4,650-$4,775
Immersion: ISEst. Add’l Meal Cost: $500
All College Requirement(s): HE, Hist, IntclMax. Enrollment: 20
Prerequisites: Consent of Instructors
Music 249: Listening Live in London, Glasgow, and the Isle of Skye(England, Scotland)
INSTRUCTORS: Brooke Joyce (Music); Kathryn Reed (Music)
Course Description:This is a course devoted to listening actively and thoughtfully to live music, and occasionally, to making a bit of music ourselves in workshops. By discussing and writing about musical experiences of new kinds and in new settings, we hope to help broaden and deepen your love for music. At the same time, we’ll explore fascinating, historical, and gorgeous places in the UK. The course is intended for students from all majors, benefiting from the varied academic and experiential backgrounds of all students. The course begins in London, where we spend approximately the first 10 days taking advantage of the range of musical performances available and the rich musical and cultural history of the city. Performances include opera, ballet, symphony orchestra, chamber music, and solo recitals. We also visit a jazz club, and participate in workshops on the Javanese Gamelan, and at the English Folk Song Society. Mornings are devoted to class discussions, with afternoons free for exploration of the city, followed by late afternoon tea and shared observations before the evening performance.Next we travel north via the old city of York where we'll attend choral evensong at the cathedral, and by contrast, a traditional English pantomime. From here, we begin to encounter less formal forms of music making, particularly in folk traditions of the British Isles. After attending and participating in events at the Celtic Connections Folk Festival in Glasgow, Scotland, we will travel to the hauntingly beautiful Isle of Skye for a workshop on Gaelic folk music at Sabhal MòrOstag.
Credits: 4Est. Cost: $4,250-$4,650
Immersion: ISEst. Add’l Meal Cost: $500