Social Sciences Fieldschool in Bolivia

• This program is a good fit for any student interested in anthropology, Latin America, or international studies.

• Some Spanish knowledge is required.

• Learn more about Bolivia.

•    Download the program flyer!

This is a six-week program in La Paz, Bolivia, offering two integrated courses: (1) politics and culture of the Andes and (2) multidisciplinary social science methods. The field school nature of this course will be emphasized as the curriculum is integrated and predicated on active, experiential learning in multiple sites in La Paz. For instance, while discussing the social impact of the 1952 Revolution in the first course, we will visit the National Archives to search for relevant documents as well as seek out Bolivians for oral histories as assignments in the second course.

 

This program will also include study on Ecuador and Peru through the lens of the politics and culture of the Andes. The methods course focuses on research design, as well as a selection of qualitative and some quantitative research techniques. The program will use Bolivia as a “field case” in which to put the research methods into practice, with the understanding that students can later apply these methods to other cases. Research methods will be taught in a hands-on manner, with frequent assignments requiring students to implement certain techniques.

 

The program will be taught primarily in English, though participants are expected to have at least a working proficiency in Spanish (since a number our primary documents and other materials will be in Spanish).