Courses for Summer 2024 Visiting Professor Program
- Alicante, Spain – Summer Session 2 (July)– Intercultural Communication in Professional Contexts (ENG/COMM, 300-level, 3 credits, taught in English)
- Bengaluru, India – Summer Session (June)– Gandhi and Peace Studies (HIST/SOC, 300-level, 3 credits, taught in English)
- Bilbao, Spain – Summer Session 2 (July)– Corporate Finance (FIN/BUS, 300-level, 3 credits, taught in English)
- Chiang Mai, Thailand – Summer Session 1 (July)– International Organizational Behavior (BUS/MGMT, 400-level, 3 credits, taught in English)
- Heredia, Costa Rica – Summer Session 2 (July)– Intercultural Communication (COMM, 400-level, 3 credits, taught in English)
- La Habana, Cuba – Summer Session (July)– Latin American Social Revolutions (HIST/POLI, 400-level, 3 credits, taught in English)
- London, England – Summer Session (July)– Social Entrepreneurship (BUS, 400-level, 3 credits, taught in English)
- Lüneburg, Germany – Summer Session 2 (July)– The European Union: Processes, Dynamics, and Structures ( ECON/POLI, 400-level, 3 credits, taught in English)
- Madrid, Spain – Summer Session 2 (July)– Gender and Communication (COMM, 400-level, 3 credits, taught in English)
- Montevideo, Uruguay – Summer Session (June)– Government and Politics in Latin America (POLI, 400-level, 3 credits, taught in English)
- Pau, France – Summer Session 1 (June)– Sustainability in France/Europe (ENV/GEOG/PSC, 300-level, 3 credits, taught in English)
- Prague, Czech Republic – Summer Session 2 (July)– The Holocaust: Twentieth-Century Jewish Studies (HIST/SOC, 400-level, 3 credits, taught in English)
- Reggio Emilia, Italy – Summer Session 2 (July)– Health and Wellness Communication (HLTH/COMM, 300-level, 3 credits, taught in English)
- San Ramón, Costa Rica – Summer Session 2 (July)– Ecology and Population Biology (BIO/ENVS, 300-level, 3 credits, taught in English)
- Santiago, Chile – Summer Session 2 (July)– Peace, Conflict, and Democracy in Latin America (HIST/POLI, 300-level, 3 credits, taught in English)
- Torino, Italy – Summer Session 2 (July)– International Strategic Management (BUS/MGMT, 400-level, 3 credits, taught in English)
- Verona, Italy – Summer Session 2 (July)– Marketing Principles (BUS/MKTG, 200-level, 3 credits, taught in English)
- Viterbo, Italy – Summer Session 1 (June)– Food and Culture (ANTH/NUTR, 400-level, 3 credits, taught in English)
- Alicante, Spain
- Summer Session 2 (4 weeks)
- Intercultural Communication in Professional Contexts
- English, Speech Communications, 300-level, 3 credits, Taught in English
The course is designed to develop professional communication skills to enhance your performance in intercultural contexts in the workplace. Effective intercultural communication skills are important in a multicultural society, particularly for those individuals who would be in positions that require effective management of cultural conflicts.
This course focuses on fundamental conceptual and practical dimensions of intercultural communication in everyday life in social interactions in multicultural environments. It aims at developing an individual’s intellectual appreciation for cultural differences and sensitivity regarding intercultural interactions.
Bengaluru, India
Summer (4 weeks)
Gandhi and Peace Studies
History, Sociology, 300-level, 3 credits, Taught in English
The Indian national movement was undoubtedly one of the biggest mass movements modern society has ever seen. It was a movement which galvanized millions of people of all classes and ideologies into political action and brought to its knees a mighty colonial empire. Consequently, along with the British, French, Russian, Chinese, Cuban and Vietnamese revolutions, it is of great relevance to those wishing to alter the existing political and social structure.
Various aspects of the Indian national movement, especially Gandhian political strategy, are particularly relevant to the societies that broadly function within the confines of the rule of law and are characterized by a democratic and basically civil libertarian polity. It is however relevant to other societies too. We know for a fact that even Lech Walesa consciously tried to incorporate elements of Gandhian strategy in the Solidarity Movement in Poland.
Gandhi did not claim to be a prophet or even a philosopher. “There is no such thing as Gandhism,” he warned, and “I do not want to leave any sect after me.” There was only one Gandhian, he said, an imperfect one at that: himself.
The most important event in the Indian politics after the First World War was the advent of M. K. Gandhi. Gandhi discovered India in discovering himself. It is important indeed to understand Gandhi’s political life and particularly his non-violence, in the light of this radical discovery, from which, everything else received its meaning.
Bilbao, Spain
Summer Session 2 (3 weeks)
Corporate Finance
Finance, General Business, 300-level, 3 credits, Taught in English
Besides corporate decision-making from the CFO’s perspective regarding their firm’s financing arrangements—the debt/equity mix, e.g., bonds, loans or stock—, we will evaluate what the retail landscape has to offer the individual investor thinking of retirement and personal portfolio decisions/weights. Business/Financial management topics include the importance of cash flow—especially DCF, the Time Value of Money, Net Present Value and the volatility of returns given past—and recent—market history. Currency (Exchange Rate Risk)—the FX market—will also be considered. Discussion of business ethics will be timely and frequent and well.
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Summer Session 1 (5 weeks)
International Organizational Behavior
General Business, Management, 400-level, 3 credits, Taught in English
This course exposes students to the interpersonal aspects of working internationally. As the world becomes more globalized, it becomes increasingly important for students to recognize and develop skills that will help them to succeed when working with diverse colleagues and internationally. Topics include cultural values, individual differences, communication, teamwork, and leadership in an international context. Students will learn concepts in an experiential learning environment which includes video, case studies, self-assessments, role playing, and in-class exercises. A portion of the class will be focused on self-development; students will begin to understand their current global mindsets and how they can develop them.
Heredia, Costa Rica
Summer Session 2 (4 weeks)
Intercultural Communication
Speech Communications, 400-level, 3 credits, Taught in English
The purpose of this course is to develop the skills necessary to build and maintain positive communication and relationships across cultures. Students will explore the definition, nature and manifestation of culture while examining their own values, traditions, and beliefs. Through active in-class and out-of-class activities, students will learn about the similarities and differences in communication behaviors and explore language usage, nonverbal actions, and perceptions in order to see how they influence face-to-face communication between individuals of different cultures in the United States, Europe, and the rest of the world.
Prerequisite: introductory coursework in college-level communication
La Habana, Cuba
Summer (3 weeks)
Latin American Social Revolutions
History Political Science, 400-level, 3 credits, Taught in English
The present is a product of the past. Students will analyze the validity of this statement by examining the three major social revolutions that occurred in Latin America and the Caribbean in the 19th and 20th centuries to the present, including the slave rebellion that brought forth the independent of the Republic of Haiti (1804). Students will also learn about the Mexican and Chilean, Nicaraguan and Central American revolutions up to the Cuban Revolution.
London, England
Summer (5 weeks)
Social Entrepreneurship
Business, Entrepreneurship, 400-level, 3 credits, Taught in English
This course will help you tap into your inner changemaker. It will empower you to use business techniques to develop innovative solutions for society’s challenges. As part of this course, you will explore how to create positive change through social entrepreneurship in three stages. First, you will learn more about the theoretical foundations and key concepts of social entrepreneurship. Second, you will investigate the U.K. social innovation landscape as part of classroom-based and on-site activities. Third, using London as a point of departure, you will work in a group on your own social entrepreneurship project that will bridge theory and practice.
Lüneburg, Germany
Summer Session 2 (5 weeks)
The European Union: Processes, Dynamics, and Structures
Economics, Political Science, 400-level, 3 credits, Taught in English
The course provides a general introduction to the European Union. Students learn about political theories of integration and study how scholars explain the establishment of the EU and its impact on the nation states and their economies. After examining the history of European integration and the political and economic context in which it developed, we cover the main institutions and their role in day-to-day politics. In the final part of the class, we analyze core EU policies, such as security, trade, social and economic policies.
Madrid, Spain
Summer Session 2 (4 weeks)
Gender and Communication
Speech Communications, 400-level, 3 credits, Taught in English
Students will approach issues of gender and communication, both verbal and non-verbal, through critical analysis of stereotypes, socialization, and male/female interactions using theoretical perspectives. Various social interaction environments such as workplaces, families, media, and friendships will be explored. A special look at the host culture will also be considered.
Montevideo, Uruguay
Summer (5 weeks)
Government and Politics in Latin America
Political Science, 400-level, 3 credits, Taught in English
This course is designed to introduce the student to the core political issues facing the Our American region, which means to include the Caribbean experiences. The major problems facing this region: authoritarianism, dictatorships, revolutions, social conflicts as increase of violence, political corruption, the presence of the US policy and economic dependence from the American capital, political and economic development, “democratic transition” and the supposed consolidation of democratic practices, as well as the indigenous and other minority group rights, will be introduced in turn.
Pau, France
Summer Session 1 (5 weeks)
Sustainability in France
Environmental Studies, Geography, 300-level, 3 credits, Taught in English
Sustainability is the goal of maintaining natural systems and human societies on Earth. The multitude of challenges to sustainability, such as warming climate, ecological damage, population pressure, and social turmoil, make this a critical topic of study worldwide. In this course we will set the stage with the basic elements of sustainability in France, a nation with rich natural resources and strong environmental programs but facing numerous challenges. We will explore the environmental, economic, and social dimensions of sustainability in the French Republic in Europe as well as the Overseas Territories. Challenges to sustainability provide knowledge for our understanding of the strengths and limitations of current French policies and actions. Case studies will range from livable cities to agriculture to the wine industry. The intersection of gender, ethnicity, race, and sexuality with sustainability is a key theme. Finally, the broader context of France in the world as a member of the European Union, World Trade Organization, and United Nations helps us place France as a global actor in the interconnected network of international sustainability. This course will prepare students for analyzing environmental and social issues related to sustainability and leave them with an appreciation for the practical challenges that face French society—and the world—in this century.
Prague, Czech Republic
Summer Session 2 (4 weeks)
The Holocaust: Twentieth-Century Jewish Studies
History Sociology, 400-level, 3 credits, Taught in English
In this course, students will explore twentieth-century Jewish theology and analyze specific events from the Holocaust, or properly speaking shoah, meaning catastrophe, annihilation, or devastation. This course will help students develop the theoretical foundation necessary for identifying and analyzing the role of ideology and faith in the Holocaust.
Prerequisite: One semester of college-level humanities
Reggio Emilia, Italy
Summer Session 2 (4 weeks)
Health and Wellness Communication
General Health Sciences, Speech Communications, 300-level, 3 credits, Taught in English
Students will explore the theory and practice of health communication and the areas where small group and organizational communication occurs. Students will also analyze how mass media influences engagement in these forms of communication. This course covers topics including the history of health communication, the complexity of patient-caregiver communication, social and cultural issues associated with health communication, and public health and its relationship with media. Students will develop skills in analytical and critical thinking through discussions and debates.
San Ramón, Costa Rica
Summer Session 2 (4 weeks)
Ecology and Population Biology
Biology, Environmental Science, 300-level, 3 credits, Taught in English
Ecology studies the interaction of organisms with the biotic and abiotic environment; population biology studies the distribution and movement of organisms in the natural world. This should ideally act as a biology major capstone course for it incorporates many themes related to biology. Students will touch on many biological principles that they should already be familiar with. Students will gain an appreciation of ecological principles as they relate to the natural world.
Prerequisite: one year of general biology with lab
Santiago, Chile
Summer Session 2 (5 weeks)
Peace, Conflict and Democracy in Latin America
History, Political Science, 300-level, 3 credits, Taught in English
This course will cover topics related to democratization in Latin America, such as the political and social changes from the 1980s. Students will develop skills to effectively analyze the dynamics of dictatorships in Argentina, Chile, and Venezuela. Students will also evaluate the effectiveness of establishing peace and cooperation by creating robust social institutions, strengthening civil society, safeguarding human rights, and decreasing socio-economic inequalities.
Torino, Italy
Summer Session 2 (5 weeks)
International Strategic Management
Business, Management 400-level, 3 credits, Taught in English
International strategic management addresses the questions of how and why some companies are able to develop and maintain competitive advantage in a global environment. Why do some companies in a given industry do better than others? We will examine how the international environment influences the choices that senior-level executives make regarding which products and services to offer, how and where to get them built and delivered, and how to organize and finance their company. We will learn that effective competitive intelligence at the level of the company, industry, and broader environment drives decisions that lead to competitive advantage.
Verona, Italy
Summer Session 2 (4 weeks)
Marketing Principles
General Business, Marketing, 200-level, 3 credits Taught in English
This course will introduce students to fundamental marketing concepts. as well as important ideas and issues in marketing products and services to consumers. This course can be broken down into two components: first, students learn how to understand the marketing environment (market analysis), and then how to implement successful marketing strategies in such an environment (marketing strategy). The course is based on a combination of lectures/discussions, case studies, videos, outside speakers, company visit(s), country snapshots, and a final marketing project in which student teams introduce a product or service into the Italian market.
Viterbo, Italy
Summer Session 1 (5 weeks)
Food and Culture
Anthropology/ Nutrition, 300-level, 3 credits, Taught in English
Food is a topic with which every student of every ethnicity has personal experience; it is so common that its cultural connotations tend to be overlooked. Food is often related to identity, whether positive or negative, as well as one’s ancestry. Cuisines are not just about sustenance, but about cultural symbols that bind people together in ritual and as a community. How one participates in the act of eating, when/how/why certain foods are to be prepared are learned and understood at the table is the heart of this course. In the North American context, Thanksgiving has an established food tradition; there are similar established food-related traditions among other populations, such as the lunar new year, Easter or Day of the Dead.
Food is of wide-ranging anthropological interest because, in eating, humans incorporate into our bodies the products of nature transformed into culture. This course explores connections between what we eat and who we are through cross-cultural study of how personal identities and social groups are formed via food production, preparation, and consumption.
The course will initially explore the general topic of food and culture to present a background with which to discuss the specifics of identity and meaning. The role of food will be examined in a number of different communities. Documentaries and films will be used as an entrée to discussing specific topics, such as festivals/rituals and food as family/community; moreover, our topics and readings will be eclectic: food taboos, gender and kinship, voice and identity, symbolic and expressive culture, feasts, festivals, fasts, famine, religion and spirituality, race and ethnicity, nationalism, class and social stratification, politics of globalization, among others. Students will reflect on documentaries and films we watch together and in independent research for a class project.