Mexico: Crossing Borders

 Fall Semester: mid-August through early December

In this experiential, community-based program students will cross borders constructed by language, nationality, race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, socio-economic class, religion, politics, and economics. Students are immersed in various Mexican realities by meeting directly with people of diverse backgrounds, gaining essential skills for future academic and professional pursuits. Earn credit in Religion, Political Science, Business, Women’s Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies, and Spanish. The semester includes small group intensive Spanish study provided by Mexican instructors. Fieldwork opportunities (including both internships and independent research) are also available.

Location

Mexico is more than a spring break destination; it takes center stage in debates about globalization, U.S. immigration policy, and sustainable economic development.

The program is based in Cuernavaca, a city known for its perennial springtime (70-80 degrees). Cuernavaca, the capital of the state of Morelos, is about a 1 1/2 hours drive south of Mexico City. Both the city and the state are important in Mexican history: the palace of the conqueror Hernan Cortez borders the central plaza in Cuernavaca and Morelos is known as “the cradle of the Mexican revolution” of 1910 led by Emiliano Zapata, who was born in a small town near Cuernavaca. A city of more than one million, Cuernavaca is also known for its innovative grass-roots education programs, economic cooperatives, and base Christian communities inspired by liberation theology.

Learn About

Students will learn about the variety of border crossings that exist, including national boundaries, gender binaries, and other social barriers created by race, class, gender, sexuality, age, and ableism.  Students will examine the intersection of all types of oppression and efforts to overcome them, in addition to the struggle of Mexicans and Salvadorans from diverse backgrounds working for social change.

Course Offerings

Althought students may mix and match three or four courses from any discipline, concentrations are offered in four fields: Spanish, women’s studies, religion and business. A Mexican Art course taken in either English or Spanish and a non-credit Latin Dance course are available to all students.

Spanish Concentration

Mexico has the largest Spanish-speaking population in the world, and the majority of Spanish speakers in th U.S. speak Mexican Spanish.  Students can select multiple courses from approximately 16 available.

Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies Concentration

Explore transitional and postcolonial feminisms by engaging in direct conversations with Mexicans from diverse backgrounds. The program merges feminist theories with the voices of grassroots activists:

• Liberationist, Feminist, Queer, & Postcolonial Theologies  in Latin America (Religion/Women’s Studies 324): meets a Humanities Liberal Arts Foundation (LAF) graduation requirement at Augsburg College.
• Contemporary Latin American Women: Texts and Voices(Spanish/Wonen’s Studies 335): taught only in Spansih, meets a Literature requirement for the Spanish major at Augsburg College.
• Women, Gender and Social Change in Latin America (Women’s Studies/Political Science 359): meets a Social and Behavioral Sciences Liberal Arts Foundation (LAF) graduation requirement at Augsburg College.
• Internship or Independent Research (Women’s Studies 399/499)

Religion Concentration

Explore the legacy of indigenous spiritualities, the complexity of Christianity, and views of the small populations of Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus. Latin American liberation theologies are strong in Cuernavaca, and feminist, queer, and postcolonial liberation theologians are growing.

• Christian Vocaton and the Search for Meaning II (Rellgion 200)
• Liberationist, Feminist, Queer, & Postcolonial Theologies in Latin America (Religion/Women’s Studies 324): meets a Humanities Liberal Arts Foundation (LAF) graduation requirement at Augsburg College.
• Spanish for Ministry (Spanish 224): taught in Spanish
• Internship or Independent Research (Religion 399/499)

Business Concentration

Prepare to become a global business leader by developing Spanish language and intercultural communication skills, as well as gaining hands-on experience through an international internship.

• Accounting Theory and Practice I (Accounting 322)
• Business Spanish (Spanish 220)
• Global Business Management: Mexico and Other Emerging Markets (Business 461)
• Vocation and the Meaning of Success (Keystone 490)
• Internship or Independent Research (Business/Marketing 399/499)

Engaging Conversations

• Academics and grassroots women, including economically poor, Indigenous, mestiza, and Afro-Mexican peoples.
• Feminist activists, LGBTQIA leaders, former guerrillas, artists, grassroots organizers, Indigenous healers, business women, environmentalists, and religious leaders fomenting liberationist, feminist, queer, and postcolonial theologies.

Housing and Homestays

Two houses in Cuernavaca serve as a home base for most students. Four-to-six week homestays are an integral part of the academic program. Longer homestays are available upon request, as are lesbian and gay-friendly homestays.

Regional Travel

• An eight-day seminar in Chiapas, where students will meet with leaders of fair trade businesses, “bug business” representatives, government officials, grassroots groups, human rights leaders, women’s groups, and Zapatistas or Zapatista symphathizers.
• Seminars and homestays in rural indigenous communities to learn about the struggles, spirituality, and cosmovision of contemporary Mexican indigenous people.
• A short seminar in Mexico City, where students meet with government representatives, business leaders, elected officials, and prominent spokespeople.
• Optional weekend excursions to locations such as the Monarch butterfly sanctuary, Oaxaca, Puebla, Taxo, Teotuhuacan, Toluca, and the Nevado de Toluca volcano.

Prerequisites

Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors at any college or university. Enrollment is limited; one previous college-level course in Spanish or its equivalent is required.

Deadline

Applications are accepted on a rolling admissions basis.