Social Justice, Peace and Development

Fascinating, Mysterious, Diverse India

Live and learn in a country that never ceases to amaze. India has been inhabited for at least 5,000 years and is currently home to more than one billion people and countless religions yet people have found a way to get along. A population so big and dynamic fosters diversity in  culture, religion and language. Most people in India are Hindu, but there are also large numbers of Buddhists, Christians and Muslims. Hindi is the national language, but English is widely spoken and understood, and there are some 14 other languages spoken in various regions of the country. Environmental issues are important in India. Deforestation, air and water pollution, are serious problems that are being addressed by the government and various worldwide relief agencies known as NGOs (non-government organizations). Our semester in India takes a Gandhian approach to studying these problems, as well as concerns surrounding development in India, the role of women and the sometimes negative influences of globalization. Gandhi advocated a modern India, but one based on a human scale and not tied to a Western model of industry and technology, because he believed that would concentrate power in the hands of a few at the expense of many. This semester in India will be an exceptional opportunity for you to observe and participate in low-impact, sustainable development projects, and become directly involved in women’s and environmental issues.

The Courses

This life-changing program offers you a chance to learn firsthand about current issues in a developing country. You will gain a new perspective about the world as you stand alongside people who are actively working to improve daily life in India. The academic classes are based on an “action reflection” model, where you will be introduced to a topic through a series of lectures in class, then follow through with your new knowledge by traveling to selected sites to learn directly about the subject from experts in the field and from the people who are actually being affected. Examples of past sites include wildlife reserves, urban slums, medical and education facilities, and indigenous villages that practice sustainable agriculture.

During the fall semester, students from Concordia College and Gustavus Adolphus College will complete four courses that focus on issues of importance to India.

1) Globalization and the Ethics of Development investigates themes relating to ethical development. The course investigates the impact of globalization on organized and unorganized labor, including challenges facing women in the labor market, the Dalit (poorest of the poor) population, the struggle of the Adivasi, fish workers, agricultural laborers and others. The course will conclude with an investigation of the politics of health issues, and the challenges and alternatives to pressures from global economic and social structures.

2) Identity, Resistance and Liberation focuses on issues associated with cultural, national and ethical identity as related to social movements and political campaigns. You will study the literature of resistance and liberation with a core discussion around violence and non-violence, the social factor in public and private spheres, and the ‘self’ as both a personal and social concept. Literature will be from several views, including modern, post-modern, feminist, Marxist and liberal perspectives. There will be a study of campaigns against child labor, nuclear weapons, the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

3) Religion, Culture and Society studies primarily Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam, though discussions include other significant religions in India. You will become familiar with beliefs, symbols and festivals of these religions; visit important religious centers such as Hyderabad, Sarnath and Varanasi; and discuss religion’s impact on culture, society and daily life. Students will also come into contact with and work closely with Christians in India.

4) Environment, Ecology and Livelihood will expose students to typically Indian ecosystems and the strategies Indian ecologists have adopted to preserve these systems. You will identify major environmental issues through a combination of research and field visits, and investigate international philosophies that lead to the reasons behind the problems. You will meet with leaders to learn first-hand about the realities of environmental problems and the efforts to solve them.

You will earn four credits over the semester. Program coordinators are responsible for final grades. Grading is based on written assignments and exams, as well as active participation in discussions and work in the field.

Accommodations

You will be based at Visthar, an NGO located near Bangalore (the Silicon Valley of India) in southern India. At Visthar you will stay in dormitory-style housing, two per room with each room having its own bathroom. Throughout the semester you will travel to various regions of the country and stay and study at other NGOs. Past sites have included Mysore, Mumbai, New Delhi, Varanasi, Agra, Udaipur and Vellore. The semester begins with an intensive orientation to the course topics in the United States and one other location en route to India.

Dates and applications

You will generally be abroad for about 17 weeks.  Departure is in mid-August with a return in mid December. Application deadline is January 13th.

For more information on this program, including the most recent cost information, please contact the Office of International Education at 299-3927 or inted@cord.edu.