Spring Term Abroad

International experience is viewed as an important part of a comprehensive education. The purpose of Spring Term Abroad is to further one’s knowledge of the world and its cultures and to expand the opportunities and arenas for academic inquiry. This requires a high level of commitment and engagement on your part,  but promises a higher level of reward and satisfaction.

Spring Term Abroad has a special structure, including a specific application process, its own mandatory deadlines, and a separate financial process.  Contact International Education for details.

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The Environment and Economic Development in Amazonas

ECON 259
4 credits
1 week on campus
3.5 weeks in Brazil
Professor James Kahn

Amazonas is a huge Brazilian state of 1.5 million square kilometers which retains 94 percent of its original forest cover. The course focuses on both rural and urban settings, looking at the role of the environment in sustainable development. Professor Kahn and his Brazilian colleagues are the leading experts in this area and will present past experiences of the region and why they were successful or unsuccessful, as well as examining current issues and the strengths and weaknesses of the approaches that have been put forward.The learning objectives of this course integrate those of the economics and environmental studies majors. Students are asked to use economic tools in an interdisciplinary context to understand the relationships among economic behavior, ecosystems and policy choices.

additional notes:
(1) Prerequisites are Econ 101 or ENV 110.
(2) First year students are encouraged to apply
(3) Students will leave for Brazil on the Wednesday of spring break and return to W&L for the last week of classes.
(4) Readings and occasional meetings will be required during winter term

 

BAHAMAS   ECON 288

The Economics of Tropical Coastal Seascapes

Professor James Casey

This course will introduce students to the techniques economists have developed to value non-market environmental resources. The two valuation techniques to be explored are (1) Choice Models (CM), and (2) Contingent Valuation Method (CVM). In addition to learning the theory, we will also design and administer a small survey to determine how user groups and non-users value coral quality in the Bahamas. An interdisciplinary perspective will be coupled with formal economic analysis throughout the entire course. We will spend a significant amount of time in the water - learning about coral reef ecosystems.

At the end of this course students will be able to (1) read the literature on CM and CVM, (2) determine for themselves the validity of environmental valuation for policy purposes and (3) more deeply understand the importance and value of environmental resources as they will have spent two weeks studying and living in the coastal ecosystems of San Salvador, Bahamas.USA.

SOUTH DAKOTA, WYOMING, MONTANA, AND NEBRASKA

ANTH 286

Professor Harvey Markowitz

Combining classroom studies and field research, this 4-credit seminar will focus on the religious, cultural, and historical dimensions of the Lakota Sioux's ties to their lands. During the initial week, participants will receive an intensive introduction to Lakota culture, religion, and history. The seminar's second two weeks will comprise a fieldtrip in which the class will visit sites that are of major cultural, religious, and historical significance to Lakotas in South Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming. These sites will include the Black Hills, Badlands, Bear Butte, Wind Cave, the Little Big Horn Battlefield, Crazy Horse Monument, and Mt. Rushmore. We will also have the opportunity to hear representatives from tribal social service and governmental organizations describe on-going economic, social programs and political initiatives. The group will have the experience of sleeping in tipis during a portion of the fieldtrip. After returning to campus, participants will spend the seminar's final week investigating the contemporary status of Lakota-land relations and delivering presentations based on their term paper.

 

NICARAGUA

BUS 390B

Professor Sandy Reiter

Nicaragua is the second poorest nation in the Western hemisphere behind Haiti. The primary purpose of this course is to understand why and how this continues to be so. We will investigate the economic and business development issues and the role business has in hindering and/or promoting development. Areas of investigation will include such things as trade agreements, sustainable development, foreign direct investment, maquiladoras, privatization of utilities, indigenous property rights, micro-financing, fair trade, participation of women in the economy, and local cooperatives. This is an opportunity to have first-hand experience in understanding the business environment in a developing country. The first three weeks of the term will be in Nicaragua, and the last week will be in Lexington where students will finish up their projects. While in Nicaragua, we will be based primarily in Managua, the capital, but we will also visit the countryside north of Managua, where much of the coffee and agricultural production takes place, and the Pacific coast land south of Managua.

By the end of the term, students will have a good understanding of ...
1. the impediments to economic growth and human development in Nicaragua.
2. the effect of globalization and CAFTA on development in Nicaragua
3. the role of business in hindering and/or promoting development

This course satisfies the international business elective for business administration majors. It may also satisfy a requirement for the Shepherd Poverty Program with prior approval from Professors Beckley and Reiter. There are no pre-requisites for this course, and all majors are welcome. In preparation for the course, we will meet several times in the winter term to discuss some required readings.