Sustainable Development in Latin America is an experiential study-abroad course offered from July 8-August 5, 2017 in the capital city of Quito and in Bahía de Caráquez on the Ecuadorian coast. The course is led by Dr. Jesse Abrams from the Institute for a Sustainable Environment at the University of Oregon, in partnership with Planet Drum Foundation. Planet Drum Foundation has been working in Bahía de Caráquez since 1999 when community leaders decided to rethink the city’s development trajectory in the wake of devastating natural disasters.
The first week of the course entails intensive Spanish language training at the Simon Bolivar Spanish School in Quito. This is followed by three weeks of field excursions, service learning experiences, and academic projects that will give students a deep understanding of the challenges and successes associated with community-led development and natural resource conservation in coastal Ecuador. Course highlights include engaging in ecological restoration activities, visiting local protected areas and sustainable agriculture sites, and experiencing a community-based ecotourism initiative run by a small indigenous community. The course is open to undergraduate and graduate students from any college or university; it counts for two foreign language credits and six credits in Planning, Public Policy, and Management from the University of Oregon.
To learn more, visit http://geo.uoregon.edu/LAmerica/development
For more information, contact Jesse Abrams at jabrams@uoregon.edu.