Human Rights, Memory, and Democracy
Santiago, Chile
- Dates – TBD
- Max Enrollment – 30
- Taught In – English
- Prerequisites – Yes
- Academic Area – Spanish and Portuguese
Program Overview
Fifty years after General Pinochet’s military dictatorship (1973-1990) violently overthrew President Salvador Allende’s democratically-elected revolutionary government, Chile stands as an international symbol of the horrors of state terrorism, the power of grassroots mobilization, the struggle for justice, and the challenges of forging democracy after dictatorship. Permeated by the legacy of Pinochet’s social and economic reforms, Chile today encapsulates tensions between the neoliberal status quo and powerful social movements led by students, indigenous peoples, and other groups whose goal is to curb discrimination and deep socioeconomic disparity. This program introduces students to the battles being waged over history, the courage of human rights activists, the quest for truth and justice, and the role social movements have played. Students will live with host families; interact with some of the country’s most important politicians, activists, artists, and academics; and work toward a complex vision of Chile today. Classes will be taught at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC Chile), the top university in South America, and will include interactions and discussions with Chilean students and professors. Field trips include visits to important historical sites, the homes of Nobel poet Pablo Neruda, and Chilean wine country. No knowledge of Spanish is required, though students will be exposed to Spanish as part of the homestays.
Program Contacts
- Program Coordinator – Yongjian Si
- Instructor – Michael Lazzara
Program Highlights
- Discover the richness of Chile’s history and culture on one of the most inexpensive programs offered by summer abroad.
- Understand why Chile’s political and historical experience over the past 50 years is so important on a global scale and intimately intertwined with U.S. history.
- Experience the music of Victor Jara, the poetry of Pablo Neruda, the promise of the revolutionary era, the pain of the dictatorship, the dilemmas of the transition to democracy, the warmth of the Chilean people, the wonder of the Andes, and the bounty of one of the world’s most geographically diverse nations.