Description

Study urban development and post-revolutionary processes in Cairo, one of the world's most densely populated cities.

In early 2011, Cairo was the central site for a dramatic shift in Egyptian and regional power, sparked by the defiant and peaceful occupation of urban public space. According to UN-HABITAT, the majority of humanity now lives in cities and towns, and by 2030, more than 60 percent of the world's population is projected to be urban. Policymakers, community activists, and city residents across the globe must be equipped with the skills, knowledge, and tools to make our world's cities healthier, more livable, and sustainable.

This program will explore a host of pressing issues caused by rapid urbanization within the context of ongoing revolutionary change. Issues of study include population density, affordable housing, water supply and waste management, public transportation, and environmental degradation.

Particular attention will be paid to the challenges faced by Cairo's indigent populations, who live in informal settlements lacking basic services. The program will be guided by questions of space (public, private, gendered), place (shifting areas of significance), and power (who has access and why?) to assess ongoing efforts to recast Cairo as a revolutionary city increasingly responsive to the needs of its inhabitants.

Students will learn from academics, government officials, and NGO activists, all of whom are engaged in efforts to improve the city's livability. Through lectures, discussions, field exercises, and educational excursions, students will gain a theoretical grounding in both urban studies and cultural geography, along with hands-on experience with Cairo's overburdened transportation, waste management, and education systems.

In addition to urban development coursework, students will study Arabic and increase their knowledge of Arab culture in a setting that provides both North African and Middle Eastern perspectives. Through the Research Design for Urban Planning course, students will develop essential methodological skills, ethical insights, and the confidence to conduct academic field study in unfamiliar cultural settings.

Highlights

Examine the continuing triumphs and struggles of Cairo's residents as they face the challenges of living in one of the world's most densely populated cities.

As a result of massive urban expansion and population growth, Cairo's infrastructure--including its water, sewer, transportation, and waste management systems--has been strained severely. The city's metropolitan population stands at around 17 million, a figure expected to grow to 24 million by 2020. Zuhma, the colloquial term for Cairo's crowdedness, is part of the daily lexicon of Cairenes.

As the largest metropolitan area on the African continent and in the Arab world, Cairo is an ideal location in which to experience and study the challenges presented by rapid urban growth. The recent social uprising has added further layers of symbolic meaning to urban planning, the production of space, and processes of place-making in Cairo.

In addition to being the political, commercial, and cultural capital of Egypt, Cairo is a tremendously important center of learning, media, and culture across the Arab world. It is home to Al Azhar, the world's second oldest university, and is widely known to Arabic speakers as Umm al-Duniya--the Mother of the World.

Historically, Cairo has been an inspiration for Egyptian writers, including such works as Naguib Mahfouz's 1945 Cairo Modern; Yusuf Idris's City of Love and Ashes, set in Cairo six months before the 1952 revolution that brought Gamal Abd al-Nasser to power; and Alaa Al Aswany's novel, The Yacoubian Building, set in downtown Cairo in 1990.

Students will experience urban life in a highly dynamic environment while analyzing many of the city's most pressing urban development issues and reviewing strategies designed to reduce the stress caused by increasing urban density.

Gain new competencies in Arabic
All students in the program will receive 90 class hours of intensive instruction in Modern Standard Arabic, with additional training in colloquial Egyptian Arabic, or Masri. Learning Arabic will increase students' immersion within their host communities and help them conduct research for their Independent Study Projects (ISPs). In addition to classroom instruction, students will have the opportunity to practice speaking Arabic in their everyday interactions with local residents and during group excursions.

Potential program partners
Students will benefit from the resources of SIT's many in-country partners, which may include:

* Al-Azhar University, Cairo
* Cairo University
* Alexandria University
* Aldiwan Center
* Association of the Protection of the Environment, Cairo
* Centre for Social, Judicial and Economic Documentation and Study
Environmental Science Centre, Cairo
* Solar CITIES, Cairo
* Independent Study Project
* Students will spend four weeks near the end of the program conducting primary research on an approved topic of their choice. The ISP may be conducted in Cairo or at another appropriate location in Egypt. The ISP period gives students the chance to directly apply the concepts and skills gained through their experience-based learning and interdisciplinary coursework, while exploring a topic of particular significance to them.

Each student will be mentored by an ISP advisor, who will provide needed expertise, and will work with the student on the design, implementation, and evaluation of their research project.

Sample topic areas for the ISP include:

* Urban policy and population growth
* Waste management and the fight against poverty
* Public transportation and pollution
* Tahrir Square and the production of social revolution
* Social uprising and the birth of the New Egypt
* Places of worship and religious tolerance
* The Coptic neighborhood and tourist industry
* Ancient Egypt and modern museums
* Cultural centers and the construction of urban identities

Degree Level

Bachelors Degree (Undergraduate)

Subject Areas

Cost in US$:

Program Fees Include:

SIT Study Abroad program fees include all courses, educational excursions, health insurance, and full room and board (all meals and accommodation) for the entire program period. Fees and additional expenses are based on all known circumstances at the time of calculation. Due to the unique nature of our programs and the economics of host countries, SIT reserves the right to change its fees or additional expenses without notice.

Experience Required

no

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Apartment/Flat

Participants Travel

Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work

Independently or in Groups of 10-25

Scholarships are Available

SIT Study Abroad awarded USD750,000 in scholarships in 2010. About one-third of scholarship applicants receive financial assistance to participate in our programs. Only SIT Study Abroad participants can be considered for SIT Study Abroad scholarships. Awards generally range from USD500 to USD5,000 for semester programs, and USD300 to USD3,000 for summer programs. Financial need is a primary consideration for all of our scholarship decisions.

Application Process Involves

• Essay
• Letters of Reference
• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Physical Exam/Health Records
• Transcript

Typically The Application Process Time is

3 weeks

Post Services Include

• Alumni Network
• Exit Debriefing Abroad

SIT Study Abroad's Mission Statement

A pioneer in experiential, field-based study abroad, SIT offers semester, summer, and academic year programs for undergraduate students in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East, as well as comparative programs in multiple locations.

Programs focus on critical global issues in specific geographical and cultural contexts using an interdisciplinary approach. Studying with host country faculty and living with families, students gain a deep appreciation for local cultures and become immersed in diverse topics ranging from the politics of identity to post-conflict transformation, from global health to environmental policy. 

Year Founded

1932