2009 Exploration Seminars
February 21-March 1, 2009
*Exploration Seminar applications and timetables are now available! Stop by Global Education (Grant Center, lower level) or download them here:
Classical Japan
History 341
Dr. Linda Johnson, History
Estimated seminar cost: $2,050
We'll travel to Kyoto, the ancient capital and center of Japanese traditions. We will visit imperial palaces and villas, a samurai mansion, Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines, the old geisha quarter, Zen-inspired gardens, a potter's house and kiln, and a wealth of shops selling handmade crafts. There are opportunities for participating in a tea ceremony, Buddhist meditation, mountain hikes, a temple street fair, and a shrine festival. Kyoto is a visitor-friendly city, affording seminar participants opportunities to easily pursue their own interests, either active or contemplative.
Paris and London: The Legacies of Revolution and Empire
Sociology 111 or History 132
Dr. Nick Ellig, Sociology and Dr. Sonja Wentling, History
Estimated seminar cost: $2,450
Join us on a journey to Paris and London, the epicenters of two great empires with a rich past and present. Together we will explore the significance of the British and French Empires and how these western civilizations have influenced the affairs and lives of people around the world. We begin in Paris where we will visit the Carnavalet Museum, the Louvre, Les Invalides, Monmarte, Notre Dame and the Conciergerie to study French history and the significance and impact of the French Revolution. Then it's on to London via the high-speed train Eurostar and the Chunnel, where our focus will be on the impact of empire and decolonization, particularly on the ethnically diverse and culturally rich immigrant neighborhoods in London's East End. Our studies and observations on class, caste and exclusion will range from British royal historical sites, the Imperial War Museum and Churchill Museum to the mosques, synagogues, bagel shops and Bangladeshi restaurants on Brick Lane and the African neighborhoods in Brixton. Be prepared to experience Paris and London as more than just tourist attractions, but as colorful, diverse, complex, and challenging global communities.
Dresden: Memories of a Childhood - Memories of a Culture
Current, past or intended future enrollment of German 212 recommended
Madelyn Burchill, German
Estimated seminar cost: $2,200
The beauty of the Imperial City of Dresden has been lauded for centuries. Called the Florence on the Elbe because of its beauty, Dresden is one of Germany's most stunning cities with one of its most significant histories. Through Erich Kästner's timeless description, you have the opportunity to integrate history with culture, architecture and literature. We will view an astonishing restoration, the Church of Our Lady (Frauenkirche) and consider one of World War II's most infamous events. You are invited to experience Dresden through Kästner's eyes and to connect the history of this centuries old city with its cultural heritage and modern day significance.
Schooling and Culture: Perspectives from Norway
Education 210
Dr. Michael D. Wohlfeil, Education
Estimated seminar cost: $2,275
This exploration seminar studies Norwegian culture, with a particular emphasis on primary and secondary education in Norway. We will spend our week in Oslo and will experience numerous Norwegian cultural institutions, including museums, monuments and schools. Our glimpse into Norwegian education will include time in public, private and international schools, seeing classrooms and conversing with educators and students. During the week, numerous aspects of modern Norwegian life in the capital city will be explored, including the glorious new opera house, Norwegian Film Institute, National Gallery, Nobel Peace Prize venues, Oslo City Museum, and the Norwegian Resistance Museum. The Norwegian Fulbright Office will provide information on long-term study in Norway and we will have opportunities to enjoy the array of outdoor activities in Oslo, ranging from tobogganing and skiing to skating in the center of town.
Egypt: Ancient and Contemporary
Open to all students enrolled in Religion 100 and to those who have already completed the Religion 100 core requirement
Dr. Ernie Simmons and Dr. Hilda Koster, Religion
Estimated seminar cost: $2,575
Who had thought that you could ride a camel, climb Mt. Sinai, snorkel in the Red Sea and visit ancient pyramids during spring break? We travel to Egypt to explore its religious, historical, social and political significance, both past and present. Our seminar is organized around Egypt's "three lives": Pharaonic, Christian and Islamic. Through expertly guided visits to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and to the pyramids, temples and tombs of Giza, Memphis and Luxor, we will consider culture, religions and artifacts more than 5,000 years old, including the storied reigns of Cheops, Tutankhamen and Nefertari. At ancient churches in Cairo and at Wadi Natrun we will meet Coptic monastics who practice a distinct form of Christianity going back to the Apostle Mark. We will also journey through the desert to St. Catherine's Monastery to see sixth century Christian-Orthodox icons and to join pilgrims from all over the world for a climb of Mt. Sinai to witness the sunrise over the desert just as Moses did. Lastly, we will visit some of the great mosques of Egypt in order to observe and engage firsthand modern Islamic life and practice. Of course, Egypt also is an important country for learning more about contemporary Middle Eastern politics and about the social, political and economic challenges a modern Middle Eastern country is facing today. We will have an opportunity to witness the work done among the very poor by the Sisters of Charity. This seminar will give you a window into ancient and contemporary Egyptian life with a view to its diversity, its potential and problems, and its world significance. Includes full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner) most days.
Music History in Vienna
Open to students enrolled in or who have completed either Music 232, Music 355E or Music 356
Dr. Jean Hellner, Music
Estimated seminar cost: $2,400
This is the year to visit Vienna, when all of Austria observes the life and accomplishments of Joseph 'Papa' Hadyn. Vienna's rich cultural heritage provides us with vast opportunities to learn first hand how music defined this city as a musical capital for centuries and how it continues to do so today. We will study the historical and cultural climate of Imperial Vienna and the Vienna of the Fin de Siecle, with focus on the political, economic, ideological, social and artistic characteristics of the Holy Roman Empire. We pay special attention to its significance as an impediment as well as a catalyst of German unification, and the consequences of its dissolution for the European balance of power. We'll explore developments of music, aesthetics and history by attending performances at all the major performance venues and by visiting historical sites such as cathedrals, museums, palaces and monuments.
Northern California: Food Systems and The Culinary Institute of America
Prerequisite: Food, Nutrition and Dietetics 446 or permission of the instructor
Ellen Johnson and Dr. Betty Larson, FNS
February 21-28, 2009
Estimated seminar cost: $1,650
Have a passion for food? Are you interested in learning more about the culinary arts, organic farming and good food choices? Then this seminar to sunny California is for you - a unique opportunity to experience the journey of food from farm to fork. In Sacramento and the Napa Valley, we will visit farms, processors and open-air markets to learn how crops such as olives, walnuts, and grapes go from field to table. We will see firsthand how sustainable and organic agriculture practices are used in food production. A special highlight is a day at the West Coast campus of The Culinary Institute of America. Here we will sample exquisite cuisine, see demonstrations by master chefs, and visit with top professionals in culinary nutrition. We will also visit the new state-of-the-art Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine Studies and Food Science, where researchers and students are investigating the role of healthy and safe foods in the quality of life. A tour of the UC Davis Medical Center dietetic internship and food service department will allow us to see how more than one million meals per year are served and medical nutrition therapy is provided for virtually all medical conditions including burns and trauma. The Gold Rush will also come alive for us in historic Old Sacramento and we'll take time to enjoy the arts, shops, dining, and culture of this vibrant region.
Pleasure and Business in Martinique
French 211
Dr. Zacharie Petnkeu, French
Estimated seminar cost: $2,600
Martinique is a French island in the Caribbean. A visit to Martinique is a trip to France and Europe while still in the Americas. It's known as a paradise on earth, the island of sun and sea with a reputation of safety for its visitors, so Martinique is one of the most attractive destinations for tourists. Our seminar will focus on the people and historical background of the island. Josephine, Napoleon Bonaparte's wife, was born here. Victor Schöelcher lived in Martinique and was instrumental to the abolition of slavery in 1848. We will have a tremendous opportunity to experience the beauty and the daily realities of a country whose language and cultures we study in class. The island is a melting pot of people from Indian, African, European and Asian descent. We will visit historic sites like old sugar cane plantations and factories where slaves used to work, and Mont Pélée, the volcano that erupted in 1922, destroying the nearby city. Join this seminar for an opportunity to speak French in the sunny Caribbean.
King Arthur's England
Open to current or past students of Credo 232 EH or with permission of an instructor.
Dr. Roy Hammerling, Religion and Dr. David Sprunger, English
Estimated seminar cost: $2,575
Escape to Camelot to study the legendary King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table. We will focus on an extended tour of Arthurian sites that are difficult for travelers to reach or gain access to on their own, including Stonehenge, Glastonbury Abbey, the Chalice Well and the ruins of Tintagel Castle. Academically, our seminar will explore the archaeological, historical and literary evidence for King Arthur and seek to understand how this legend and notions of medieval chivalry continue to shape English identity and ideals. In addition to Arthurian sites, we will experience all that London's fabled culture has to offer including visits to the Tower of London, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, and the British Museum and Library. There will also be free time and opportunities to attend several plays in the vibrant West End. Join us and experience England in its past and present!
Germany, the Third Reich and the Holocaust
Open to all Credo students who have completed or are currently enrolled in Credo 131
Dr. Jonathan Clark, German and Dr. W. Vincent Arnold, History
Estimated seminar cost: $2,300
Two experienced travel leaders who have visited most sites associated with Italian and German Fascism, the Third Reich and the Holocaust lead this Exploration Seminar. We will look closely at places associated with Hitler's rise to power, the creation of the Third Reich and the horrors of the Holocaust. On our way to Germany, we will stop at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., where we'll gain perspective by seeing the impact of Hitler's policies. In Munich we'll study the birth of the Nazi Party, tour Dachau to recognize the horror of Nazi discriminatory policies; and Neuschwanstein Castle to understand Wagner's influence on Hitler. At Nürnberg we'll see where the Nazi Party held its yearly rallies and where the top Nazis were tried. In dynamic Berlin where we will visit, among other sites, the Topology of Terror in order to understand the extent of the terror state put in place by the Nazis; the Jewish Museum and the Holocaust Memorial; the Reichstag; and the Check Point Charlie Museum, which illustrates the effects of WWII on Germany as a nation. We will also have opportunity to visit special exhibits dealing with the Third Reich and to speak with experts and those with first-hand knowledge of life during the Reich.
Office of Global Education
inted@cord.edu
218.299.3927
Exploration Seminars
