Overview:
Each summer I organized a three-week study abroad program to Mexico. The program, which is an integral part of the Borders and Languages major at Fort Lewis College, provides students with an opportunity to learn about international migration from the perspective of immigrants and their families. The program begins in San Diego, California, where we cross into Tijuana, Mexico as a group. We spend the next 5 days working alongside volunteers with organizations that serve migrant populations in Tijuana. From Tijuana we bus to Guanajuato, which is the state that currently sends more migrants to the U.S. than any other state in Mexico. For the next 7 days, students take Spanish classes in the morning and participate in cultural experiences each afternoon. During this period of the course, students live with homestay families. Finally, during the last 7 days of the program, students travel to rural communities located in Guanajuato that have been heavily impacted by international migration. During this segment of the journey, students live alongside local families and learn about the experiences of migrants and their families from the perspective of those who have been left behind. Together, the program provides students with a unique opportunity to reflect on the social and economic factors that push peope to migrate to United States.
Course Descriptions:
- Soc 352: Migration and Community Disorganization in Mexico (3 credits)
- Through experiential education based in Guanajuato, Mexico, this 3-week, intensive course will explore the ways in which mass migration has contributed to social disorganization with migrant-sending communities. Together, students and faculty will participate in critical reflection sessions that explore the relationship between social disorganization and crime in Mexico. Students will have the opportunity to hear from migrants, community members, and government officials. Students will live with Mexican families and have the opportunity to speak Spanish daily. Students will keep a detailed field journal throughout their time in Mexico. At the end of their experience, students will use their journal to write a reflective essay.
-
Soc 321: Globalization and Mexican Migration in the 21st Century (3 credits)
- This 3-week course will be held in Guanajuato, Mexico. The course will focus on the relationship between migration and globalization within the region. Students will learn about the impact of free-trade zones on local communities, including the relationship between foreign investments and migration to the US. Students will have the opportunity to hear from migrants, community members, and local officials. Students will live with Mexican families and have the opportunity to speak Spanish daily. Students will keep a detailed field journal throughout their time in Mexico. At the end of their experience, students will use their journal to create a digital media project.