Latin American Studies Program 2012

Latin American Studies Program
2012
La Sabana University is offering the international community the opportunity to
participate in short-term courses in a Latin American Studies Program. Students from
various disciplines are able to choose from a wide range of academic courses taught
in English. The four week program is designed to give students the chance to study in
Latin America while learning the language and experiencing the culture first hand in
one of Latin America’s most diverse countries: Colombia.
Topics: Students will choose one of five academic programs taught in English and will
select from a variety of elective courses for a total of 32hrs of academic content, as
well as a Spanish language program and a number of cultural activities. The
academic experience will be enriched by the cultural emersion that comes with living
in a Colombian family.
Quick links
Dates
Accommodation
Courses offered
Cultural activities
Cost of the Program
Contact details
Course Descriptions
Universidad de La Sabana
LATIN AMERICAN STUDIE S PROGRAM
La Sabana Latin American Studies Program will run for a period of four weeks in JanuaryFebruary and July-August 2012
2012-2 Session:
July 16th – August 10th, 2012
Students are required to arrive in Bogotá by Sunday July 15th and leave no earlier than
Saturday, August 11th.
2013-1 Session:
January 28rd – February 22th, 2013
Students are required to arrive in Bogotá by Sunday Jan. 27th and leave no earlier than
Saturday, Feb. 22nd.
Accommodation
Accommodation is arranged by La Sabana University and
students will be placed in homestay accommodation in Bogotá.
Families are selected carefully, assuring friendly, comfortable,
clean and a safe service. Accommodation is in safe districts
and close to public transport service.
Homestay accommodation is with local Colombian families and
includes daily breakfast and dinner, and laundry once a week.
Students will have a single room and some may include internet
service and television.
Student Numbers
La Sabana University is aiming to have a minimum of 20
students participating in the program. Class sizes will be
tutorial style, giving students the opportunity to learn in a
workshop style environment. Students must attend all
classes during the program, in order to receive credit for
the courses.
Students will take courses related to topics in various
areas. Academic programs on offer for 2012:
Colombian & Latin American
Business and Economics
International Relations from a
Latin American Perspective
Latin American Culture & Society
Law & Politics in Latin America
Intensive Spanish language programs are also an integral part of the program
with a placement test given before the student begins his or her studies
(Beginners, Intermediate & Advanced).
Academic programs offered for 2012
All courses are interdisciplinary and are taught taking into consideration the class’s
level of knowledge about the topic, as well as about the region. The courses being
offered in each session will be determined by the amount of students participating in
the program, and the number of students who have selected a particular class. For a
full description of each course please see page 9.
Transitional Justice: the Colombian model
Colombia’s Armed Conflict from a Legal & Historical Perspective
International Management –How the world sees us and how we see the world
Regional Trade Agreements
How to talk to our Neighbors: Strategic Management: A Cross Cultural Approach
Environmental Economics in an International Context.
Media Industries on Developing Economies
From Colombia to the World: "Betty, La Fea" and Cultural Discount (Intercultural TV
Adaptations)
Across the Andes in Search of Freedom
Astonishing Moments in Latin American History
Cultural Activities
Bogota
is a cosmopolitan city
with a population of
approximately12million
inhabitants.The city
offers a
aombinationof
combination of
modern and colonial
architecture. There are
a large number of
culturalsights, museums,
restaurants, nightlife
and recreational areas
and Bogota parks.
Bogota is around 40
minutes from
fromLa
LaSabana
University
Sabana
University
by
by
publictransport
public
transport. .
Welcome Lunch:
On the first day
on
classes
students will be
invited
to
a
typical Colombian meal that will be served at La Sabana’s
principal restaurant: El Mesón.
Citytour: Cerro de Monserrate, Quinta de Bolívar, Barrio de la
Candelaria, Zona G, Zona Rosa, Parque de la 93, Centro
Internacional, Barrio de Usaquén and visit to the Museo del
Oro.
Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá: considered the first wonder of
Colombia, it is a colossal cathedral constructed under earth
by the miners who completed the salt mine in the region. It is
a magical and mystical place that astonishes all its visitors
by the characteristics of its construction. The visit includes
transport, tour guide, refreshments and entry to the
Cathedral.
Overnight trip to Villa de Leyva: Villa de Leyva is a charming
place with a rich history, architecture, bohemian
environment and beautiful hotels. In spite of being one of
the oldest towns in Colombia and having had great political
importance in the past, it seems nowadays to be frozen in
the past. The tour includes: pick up and drop off in Bogota or
Chia, accommodation in a tourist hotel in the area. For the
trip, rooms will be shared between two people.
Farewell Lunch: On the last day of the program, students will
be invited to a typical Colombian restaurant to share their
experience with one another and with the International
Relations staff.
Costs
The total cost of the program includes the following:
 Airport pick-up
 Homestay accommodation in Bogota: Includes: Individual bedroom,
breakfast and dinner.
 Four academic classes taught in English about Latin American topics
 24 hours of Spanish langue classes
 Welcome lunch at La Sabana University
 Four cultural activities
 Overnight trip to Villa de Leyva: including shared accommodation
and transport
 Farewell lunch
Total Cost 2012
Total Cost for partner universities: USD 1750* (For 2013: 1,850)
Total Cost for non-partner universities: USD 2250* (For 2013: 2,350)
* When making a bank transfer, students must pay directly in their local currency, so that all currency
exchange fees are covered by the sender. All bank fees connected to the transfer must be borne by the
sender. This means that La Sabana University has to receive the exact amount indicated
Additional costs
Airfares
Transportation to
and from the
University
Lunch and meals on
the Villa de Leyva
trip
Entertainment
Additional field trips
The additional costs students must take into account may include:
Airfares: Plan to arrive in Bogota at least one day before the starting
date of the course. The Bogotá International Airport is called El
Dorado.
Public transportation in Bogota and Chia is very cheap; total
transportation is about $3.50 USD daily. Thefareis $1.700 pesos
for the Transmilenio and $2.000 for Flota Chia. The University
has buses that take students from Chia to Bogota for $2.800
pesos.
Meals: lunch at La Sabana University cost around US$3. Menu dishes
cost from US$4 to US$9.
Entertainment: Bogotá offers a great variety of options for
going out and students should take into account expenses for
weekend activities.
Additional field trips: Additional weekend activities may be offered
to students through La Sabana University which would be at the
students’ expense. Students who wish to travel to other cities during
their stay must sign a waiver. Tickets can be bought from Avianca,
Aires or Satena.
Contact Details:
Laura Basili
International Mobility and Resources Manager
Email: laura.basili@unisabana.edu.co /
lasabana.internacional@hotmail.com
Ph. (+57) 1. 861-5555 Ext. 1305
Fax: (+57) 1. 861-6666
Web: http://www.unisabana.edu.co/internacional/latinamerican-studies-rogram/
LaSabanaAbroad
Internacionales La Sabana
Comprehensive course description
Transitional Justice in Colombia
Professor
Juana Acosta
E-mail: juanacl@unisabana.edu.co
Description
This course is organized around legal, practical and political debates about the
Colombian transitional justice model. Colombia has to deal with grave human rights’
violations and grave breaches to International Humanitarian Law committed within
the non-international armed conflict by multiple state and non-state actors. The
students are invited to discuss and analyze the different transitional justice
mechanisms in Colombia (which include demobilization strategies, the justice and
peace act and the reparation of victims’ act, amongst others).
The focus is on the question of whether it is possible to design and apply successful
transitional justice mechanisms while the country is still dealing with massive violence.
The most difficult question around this issue is the following: is it possible to achieve
peace and reconciliation, and at the same time guarantee victims´ rights to truth,
justice and reparation? Dilemmas that are brought up by this question involve
multiple considerations. These dilemmas do not have an easy answer, and different
societies have given them different solutions. The course will give the students tools
to build an informed opinion about these issues.
Bibliography
TBA
Evaluation
TBA
Colombia’s Armed Conflict from a Legal & Historical Perspective
Professor
Carlos E. Arévalo Narváez
Colombia has entire generations that have never seen their country in peace, due to
an armed conflict that has tainted this marvelous nation in blood for over 60 years.
Description
Colombia’s violent situation is due to the clash of many different actors -state
forces, extreme right-wing paramilitary groups, left-wing guerrillas and drug
cartels, making it a very complex conflict to understand.
In this course, we will answer the question: What is the legal nature of Colombia’s
armed conflict? By analyzing the different actors participating in it, its origins and
the evolution or devolution they have experienced in the past decades.
Bibliography
David Bushnell, The Making of Modern Colombia: A Nation in Spite of Itself,
University of California Press, 1993.
Frank Safford and Marco Palacios, Colombia: Fragmented Land, Divided Society,
Oxford University Press USA, 2001.
Marco Palacio (author), Richard Stoller (translator), Between Legitimacy and
Violence: A History of Colombia, 1875 – 2002, Duke University Press Books, 2006.
Noam Chomsky, Drugs, Guerrillas and Counterinsurgency in US intervention in
Colombia (Audio Book), AK Press – Abridged edition, 2001.
Luz Estella Nagle, Global Terrorism in Our Own Backyard: Colombia’s Legal War
Against Illegal Armed Groups, Transnational Law and Contemporary Problems
Journal, Vol. 15:5, 2005 – 2006.
MirkoSossai, The internal Conflict in Colombia and the Fights Against terrorism,
Journal of International Criminal Justice, Vol. 3, Oxford University Press, 2005.
William D. Shingleton, Understanding Colombia, The Fletcher Forum on World
Affairs, Vol 25:2, 2001.
Colombian Ministry of National Defense, Comprehensive Security and Defense
Policy for Prosperity, 2008.
Colombian Ministry of National Defense, Commitment and Transparency: a report
on the comprehensive policy for human rights and international humanitarian law at
the Ministry of National Defense, 2009.
Evaluation
Short Essay and Class participation.
International Management: How the world sees us and how we see the
world
Professor
Description
Jorge E. Ochoa White
Jorge.ochoa@unisabana.edu.co
313 281 52 58
The course focuses on the analysis of issues such as globalization, strategy and
organization of international business and entry forms & strategic alliances.
The essence of the course it to question and debate the concepts related to the
topics mentioned and their consequences for managers in the Colombian and Latin
American environment.
Determines the differences in risk, strategy, organizations and entry forms between
first world countries and underdeveloped countries, based on political economy
differences and other aspects as culture, technology, environment, social aspects
and education.
Bibliography
Text: International Business by Charles H. Hill, 5th edition
Evaluation
Class participation, discussions, workshop(s)* and final exam.
*The course has one or more workshops that have to be solved by the student
before the program ends
Regional Trade Agreements
Professor
Description
Jorge E. Ochoa White
jorge.ochoa@unisabana.edu.co / 313 281 52 58
The course examines the international perspective on integration and the trends
associated with it and explores the debate between multilateralism and
regionalism, and uses research on the subject to explore the different arguments in
favor and against.
Determines how trade today is not based in distance but on political, economic and
legal aspects, as components of the Political Economy of a country.
Also discusses the Latin American, Andean and Colombian trends in Trade
Agreements, establishing a new way to negotiate trade between developed and
underdeveloped countries and regions.
Bibliography
Evaluation
Makes special emphasis in how the European Union and Nafta have affected Latin
America and how the region plans to respond to this challenge.
International Business by Charles H. Hill (on regional Economic Integration)
Documents produced by the World trade Organization, International trade Centre
and United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
Class participation, discussions, workshop(s)* and final exam.
*The course has one or more workshops that have to be solved by the student before the program ends.
How to talk to our Neighbors: Strategic Management, A Cross Cultural
Approach
Professor
Description
Guillermo Villacrés Cárdenas
Understanding and interpreting the cultures is an important part of the in doing
business. Helping foreigners to do this is even more of a challenge.
Misinterpretations are bound to occur when people intend to do business in foreign
countries. Whenever mainstream citizens perceive visitors behavior unwarranted,
bizarre, rude, or in some way unexpected, it's possible that this is a sign of cultural
misunderstanding. And it is convenient to unlock the cultural puzzle. An awareness of
how much culture affects language acquisition and behavior in doing business and
in understanding different cultural organizations environment. The discernment not
to interpret the behavior of others through the eyes of their own culture, but rather
to facilitate the entry dynamics of a new country’s business culture. To learn the
basic global vocabulary in doing business in the world and specifically in
Colombia.
Topics Covered:
1. What is a cultural strategy?
2. The cross-cultural approach.
3. How management is applied in cultural strategies.
4. Doing business in Colombia and Latin America.
5. Solving business cases through the cross cultural approach
Bibliography
CHAPTER 5: The new profile of entrepreneurship in Latin America
Evaluation
A final written examination: Describe and understand the new global megatrends
for strategic-management in Colombia and the world. Explain the need for
integrating analysis and intuition (strategic thinking) in strategic management.
Analyze the impact of the new world emerging industries. Suggest new lead-ups
for business plans and entrepreneurial projects.
Environmental Economics in an International Context
Professor
Description
Catherine Pereira
This course examines economic theory and its relation with the environment based
on the linkages between the two and the elements that make up economic value,
among them growth, population dynamics, environmental degradation, political
conditions and policies that affect the environment.
Beckerman, Wilfred. Sustainable Development: Is it a Useful Concept?.
Environmental Values 3(1994):191:209
Brown, Katrina (2009). Human Development and Environmental Governance: a
reality check
Bibliography
Brown, Lester (2003). Plan B. 3.0 Chapter 2, Deteriorating Oil and Food security
Brown, Lester (2003). Plan B. 3.0 Chapter 10, Designing Cities for People
Brundtland, G.H. Our Common Future. Oxford University Press In 1987
Evaluation
Hulme, Mike. Why we disagree about Climate Change (2009) Cambridge
University Press
Oral presentation of a given case investigated by the USA Environmental
protection Agency (EPA)
Media Industries in Developing Economies
Professor
Description
Germán Arango Forero
german.arango@unisabana.edu.co
The course is aimed to provide a broad knowledge about basics on media
economics and an analysis on media industries on developing economies like the
Colombian. We will cover media markets, industries developments, audiences’
responses and of course media content developments in Latin America and
Colombia as well.
Bibliography
TBA
Evaluation
TBA
From Colombia to the World: "Betty, La Fea" and Cultural
Discount (Intercultural TV Adaptations)
Professor
Description
Enrique Uribe-Jongbloed (and, possibly, Jerónimo Rivera)
Yo soy Betty, La Fea (RCN, 1999-2001) has been adapted to many different TV
markets World-wide. In order to turn this Colombian cultural product into a(n)
[inter]national television product, different TV companies have modified, altered,
changed and re-defined many of the culturally-bound context of the original
product to suit their [inter]national audience. Comparing the narrative elements of
the original product and its adaptations we can trace the process of hybridity, and
understand how cultural discount (loss of market due to cultural differences between
target audiences) is reduced.
Davis, C. & Nadler, J. (n.d). International Television Co‐ productions and the
Cultural Discount:the Case of Family Biz, a Comedy. Unpublished.
Esposito, J. (2009). What does race have to do with Ugly Betty? Television
& New Media, 10(6), 521-535.
Fung, A. & Zhang, X. (2011). The Chinese Ugly Betty: TV cloning and local
modernity.International Journal of Cultural Studies 14(3), 265-276.
Iwabuchi, K. (2000). To Globalize, Regionalize or Localize us, that is the question:
Japan’s response to media globalization. En: G. Wang, J. Servaes and A.
Goonasekera (Eds.) The new Communications Landscape. (Pp. 142-159). London
and New York: Routledge
Bibliography
Lee, P. N. (2000). Television and global culture: assessing the role of television in
globalization. En: G. Wang, J. Servaes and A. Goonasekera (Eds.) The new
Communications Landscape. (Pp. 188-198). London and New York: Routledge.
Miller, J. L. (2010). Ugly Betty goes global. Global Media and
Communication, 6(2), 198-217.
Rivera-Betancur, J. & Uribe-Jongbloed, E. (2011). La suerte de la fea, muchas la
desean: de “Yo soy Betty, la fea” a “Ugly Betty”. InM. Perez (Ed.), Prevously on,
unpublished.
Rivero, Yeidy M.(2003) 'The Performance and Reception of Televisual "Ugliness" in
Yo soy Betty la fea',Feminist Media Studies, 3: 1, 65 — 81
Wang G. y Yeh, E. (2005). Globalization and hybridization in cultural products:
The cases of Mulan and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.International Journal of
Cultural Studies, 8, 175-193.
Evaluation
2,000-3,000 word essay on Cultural Discount
Across the Andes in Search of Freedom
Professor
Marcela Revollo de Navia
marcelarevollo@hotmail.com
This course will offer an overview of the history of the collapse of the Spanish
Empire and the complex process of political independence and emergence of new
nations. It will concentrate in the particular cases of the so called Bolivarian
countries: Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia (Upper Peru).
First Session:
Introduction: The Spanish Empire in the New World.
Resources: Steven Volk, Lecture 13: Spanish Interests in the New World (Website:
vimeo.com/6987495).
Activities: Discussion about the lecture.
Second Session: The origins of Spanish American Nationality
Reading: Lynch, John, The Spanish American Revolutions 1808-1826. Revolutions in
the Modern World. London, W.W. Norton & Company, 1986, pp. 1-37.
Description
Other Sources: Steven Volk, Lecture 14: Bourbon Era Readjustments. Economic
Realignments
Steven Volk, lecture 25: Bourbon Reforms. New Administrative Approaches
Activities: Discussion about the readings and/or lectures.
Third Session: Crises of Authority: 1700-1808
Reading: Safford, Frank and Palacios, Marco, Fragmented Land, Divided Society.
New York, Oxford University Press, 2002, pp. 54-79.
Fourth Session: The Collapse of the Spanish American Empire: The Independence
warfare.
Readings: LECUNA, Vicente, Selected Writings of Bolivar. New York, The Colonial
Press Inc, 1951, pp. XIII-XXXVIII, pp. 31; 103-123; 174-198.
Activities: Discussion about the readings.
1.SAFFORD, Frank and PALACIOS, Marco, Fragmented Land, Divided Society.
New York, Oxford University Press, 2002
2. LYNCH, John, Simon Bolivar, A life. U.K, Yale University Press, 2006.
Bibliography
Evaluation
3. LYNCH, John, The Spanish American Revolutions 1808-1826. Revolutions in
the Modern World. London, W.W. Norton & Company, 1986.
4. LECUNA, Vicente, Selected Writings of Bolivar. New York, The Colonial Press
Inc, 1951.
Active class participation will be an important component of the final grade. The
final project of the course is a brief oral presentation based on the readings and
web sources. Students will pick one of the Bolivarian countries and carry out their
presentation (15 min) as a result of their research.
Astonishing Moments In Latin American History
Víctor Manuel García Perdomo
victor.garcia2@unisabana.edu.co
Professor
Description:
This course offers a broad interpretation of Latin American History by
focusing on fundamental events that historically have shaped the region.
Pretending to cover Latin America as a whole is beyond the scope of this
course as the region contains several realities and processes that both are
beyond any simplification and are difficult to relate in an eight hour course.
However, Latin America has been constructed as a geopolitical entity since
nineteenth century as there are certain astonishing historical events that
unified and transformed it. The mayor concerns of this course deal with history
and its interpretation, and include events such as the following:
1.
The New World was an Old World Full of Wonders (Aztec and Inca
Emperies)
2. The Quest for El Dorado (Conquistadors’ Motives)
3. Weavers of revolution (Mexico and Cuba: From Zapata to Castro)
4. Shining and other Paths (Guerrilla and society in Colombia and Peru)
Texts:
Keen, Benjamin. A history of Latin America. Houghton Mifflin Company. Boston
2003.
·
Spanish Conquest:
V.S. Naipaul, The Loss of El Dorado, Vintage Books, 2003.
http://amzn.to/wRIy9X
·
Mexican Revolution:
Monsivais, Carlos, Mexico 1890-1976: High Contrast, Still Life, InMexican
Post Cards, Verso, London.
http://bit.ly/gdHnuL
·
Colombian Violence:
Sánchez, Gonzalo. “The Violence: An Interpretative Synthesis”. In Violence in
Colombia. Charles Bergquist, Ricardo Peñaranda and Gonzalo Sánchez, eds.
Scholarly Resources. 1992.
·
Peruvian guerrilla:
Stern, Steve, Shining and other Paths, Duke University Press, 1998.
(Introduction to part one)
Particulars:
Tuesday and Thursday from 2 pm to 4 pm
The course is intended to be a seminar experience. Therefore, students must
interact and communicate as frequently as possible. To ensure that
participation, students will have the opportunity to highly and explain main
ideas from the assigned readings. Each student will have the requirement to
talk for ten minutes to put in plain words his/her thoughts. Class participation
will be evaluated during each session. The final grade will reflect the quality
of that sharing.