Description

Senegal & The Gambia: Traditions, Globalization, and Tourism in West Africa is a five-week program designed to provide students with an introduction to West African cultures and traditions. The program explores the growing centrality of tourism--particularly "cultural and heritage tourism"--as an increasingly significant sector of the global economy. Students will be introduced to West Africa's largest ethnic groups (including the Wolof, Mandinka, and Fulani), and will gain rudimentary understanding of the Wolof language and culture, as they explore questions related to the politics and aesthetics of constructing difference in globalized tourism.

Highlights

While in Senegal, students will visit Goree Island and its Maison des Esclaves (slave house). Gorée is a poignant reminder of the region's role as the center of the West African slave trade to the Americas. Students will also visit the Petite Cote, mostly known for its beautiful beaches, and Saint-Louis, the capital of the French colony of Senegal located 320 km north of Dakar. In The Gambia, students will visit the Abuko Nature Reserve, Kanilai Village, and the village of Juffureh, which was identified by Alex Haley as the place of origin of his ancestors. Students will also visit James Island and the ruins of Fort James, from where slaves were shipped to the Americas. In addition, students will engage in ethnographic work in Kololi Beach near Banjul. Saint-Louis and Goree Island in Senegal, and James Island in The Gambia, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

At the end of the program, students will have earned 3-6 credits.

AADS has organized this program in collaboration with the University of the Gambia (UTG) in Banjul and the Université Cheikh Anta Diop (UCAD) in Dakar.

Degree Level

Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Subject Areas

• Culture
• Economics
• Ethnic Studies
• Political Science/politics

Cost in US$:

4744

Program Fees Include:

The cost includes airfare, accommodations, three meals per day, laundry facilities, guided tours and activities, and local transportation while abroad. The program cost does not include FIU instructional fee, and study abroad non-refundable fee (USD 175), which includes mandatory health insurance.

Experience Required

no

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Apartment/Flat
• Guest House
• Home-stays
• Other

Participants Travel

Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work

Independently

Scholarships are Available

Through the School of International and Public Affairs

Application Process Involves

• In-Person Interview when Feasible
• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Other
• Phone/Video Interview
• Physical Exam/Health Records
• Transcript