Sustainable Development in Emerging Southeast Asia
- Coming Summer 2013! - Experience the diverse cultures and environment in Southeast Asia.
Program
The Greater Mekong Subregion is one of the most exciting and dynamic on the planet. It is growing economically at a rate that is unprecedented. Yet, economic progress rarely comes without cost and there exists great tension in terms of the change being experienced in the cultures, politics and environments of the region.
This field course will allow students to experience and critically reflect upon these challenges. With an emphasis on the need to foster sustainable development, students will study the interaction of economic, political, cultural and environmental processes.
In particular, students will be introduced to the theories and concepts of development, globalization and sustainability and witness these in action in particular places. This will be attained through the provision of detailed expert academic opinion at educational and other institutions and informative field study visits en route.
Among other things students can expect to gain an understanding of globalization in the region, water resources and utilization, cross-border issues, traditional cultures faced with economic development, and the importance of maintaining biologically diverse habitats.
In producing a sustainable development plan for the region students will be facilitated to synthesize the various theoretical and empirical threads in an applied way. This exciting and unique course will allow students to cross borders and leave with an integrated understanding that will leave them in good stead for work in the social sciences in general.