SIT Study Abroad: Ecuador - Development, Politics and Languages
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(For American Students)
Study Ecuador's development processes while considering the relationship between power and discourse as the country's multilingual and multiethnic populations strive for social change and sustainability.On this program, you will study power and po... read more
All Reviews
With a focus on the goals of the program, I learned from the ground-up topics affecting daily life in Ecuador and my own. My world-view was expanded immensely from the immersion and challenges to my own ways of thought. I made great friends and experienced amazing places at the same time. Hannah R - University of Nebraska - Lincoln View Entire Review
It was definitely worthwhile. I learned how important it is for me to engage in cultural exchange in order to complete work that is meaningful to me, Mel L - Middlebury College View Entire Review
Incredible. Margaret Hemp - Smith College View Entire Review
I learned more about what specifically interests me in my Latin American studies major. Worthwhile. A student - Wellesley College View Entire Review
I grew as a person and gained new perspective on the world, my place in it, what I want to do with my future, and what matters to me. I understand the complexities/nuances of another culture better and feel better equipped to adjust to new places in the future. I met amazing people. A student - Brandeis University View Entire Review
My experience was definitely worthwhile. I learned so many different things, but I'd say the most significant takeaway for me was bringing an intercultural perspective to the table whenever I consider economic, social, or political issues. Matthew S - Yale University View Entire Review
I learned so much. About myself, about the world, and about people in general. Was it worthwhile? Maybe the most worthwhile thing I've ever done. Matthew C - Claremont McKenna College View Entire Review
I gained so many great friendships and relationships with various people in my experience abroad that I hope to maintain for the rest of my life. I also feel like I learned a ton and as though I gained new perspectives on various social issues as well as a greater awareness of others and of myself. The experience was certainly m... Claire R - Whitman College View Entire Review
This program in particular challenges it's students to view the world through a new lens. It is fun, exciting, challenging and unforgettable. Rachel K - Pomona College View Entire Review
It was a very worthwhile experience. I cannot really put into words all that I gained or learned...but studying abroad is such a valuable experience, you learn every moment and a change of perspective and the realization that other ways of life are possible, is an amazing thing A student - Brandeis University View Entire Review
Every experience is both a window and a mirror A student - Middlebury College View Entire Review
I learned an incredible amount about living in another country, a lot about another culture, and a great deal about conducting scientific research. Jennifer B - Barnard College View Entire Review
I gained knowledge about a place and culture that I had not known a lot about before, greatly improved my language skills, made meaningful connections, and grew as an individual. Emma F - Oberlin College View Entire Review
I learned so much about our world and Ecuador specifically. It changed a lot about how I view the world and development. It was definitely worthwhile. Darien - Lafayette College View Entire Review
I gained more confidence in my Spanish speaking skills and I had the chance to explore some really cool areas of Ecuador like the Amazon and the Galapagos. A student - Wellesley College View Entire Review
It was 100% worthwhile. I learned how small my world is, how different people and communities in Ecuador are from my own, yet also how similar in some respects we are too. It's an experience I cannot reduce to words. Wes Vanderburgh - Saint Anselm College View Entire Review
CONFIDENCE! Rebekah - Swarthmore College View Entire Review
I gained a much more global perspective on the world, lasting friendships, and complete cultural immersion. A student - Gettysburg College View Entire Review
I learned so much about the diversity of Ecuador--the culture, the languages, the people. I made lifelong friends, I practiced my Spanish daily, I picked up some new Kichwa phrases, and I learned new ways to think about things like sustainability and development. A student - University of Pennsylvania View Entire Review
I learned so much about the country which lead to self realizations about my own country. These are the types of things I would never learn in a classroom in the USA. It was definitely worthwhile, I cannot wait to venture back. Shannon N - Lehigh University View Entire Review
The biggest take-away was probably the ability to communicate and relate to others on a cross-cultural level. Independent Study Projects are a testament to this. It was extremely worthwhile, and while challenging at times and not without its flaws, this was an awesome program. A student - Whitman College View Entire Review
This program was definitely worthwhile. Besides gaining language skills, I was exposed to several ways of living, and word visions that I had never seen before, which challenged me to look at my own lifestyle. I also gained a very close relationship with my first host family that I foresee continuing in the future. Finally, the ... A student - Trinity University View Entire Review
It was absolutely worthwhile. I learned millions of things that I couldn't possibly summarize in this little box. For starters, I learned a lot of Spanish. I learned how to find my way around a foreign city. I learned a lot about poverty and development and how to think differently about these topics. I learned that laughter, lo... Lynnzie - Providence College View Entire Review
About
Study Ecuador's development processes while considering the relationship between power and discourse as the country's multilingual and multiethnic populations strive for social change and sustainability.
On this program, you will study power and politics in Ecuador, focusing specifically on both dominant development paradigms and resistant models that different groups have proposed. You will consider how these discussions are shaped through different discourses. Because power and ideology are reproduced and challenged through language, you will also explore how different stakeholders in Ecuador have used both Spanish and indigenous languages to instill, reinforce, subvert, and reinvent power relationships, both historically and today. The program thus combines a political and economic focus with an emphasis on discourse and language. You will leave with a highly sophisticated understanding of how this small, bio-diverse, and multi-ethnic country is thinking about development.
Major topics of study include:
- Power and politics in Ecuador, hegemonic and counter-hegemonic discourses of development
- How different groups in Ecuador conceptualize and talk about issues such as sustainability, restoration, extractive industries, social inclusion, and inter-ethnic relations
- The impact of Ecuador’s development processes on the environment, discourses surrounding sustainability and quality of life
- The relationship between the language(s) of political power and social movements in Ecuador
- Indigenous languages, politics, interculturalism, and plurinationality
Program Type(s):
Study AbroadProgram Length(s):
- Fall
- Spring
Instruction Language(s):
- Spanish
- English
Language Requirement(s):
- Spanish
Relevant Study Subject(s):
- Latin American Studies
- Spanish Language, Literature
- Hispanic and Latin American Languages, Literature
Minimum GPA:
2.5Website
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SIT Study Abroad Scholarships
SIT Study Abroad awards need-based scholarships and grants. We do not offer merit-based awards at this time. Average awards range between $500 and $5,000 for our semester programs, and between $500 and $3,000 for our summer programs. Our scholarships and grants are available to all students accepted into an SIT Study Abroad program irrespective of citizenship, national origin, or home school. We do not require a separate scholarship application for each scholarship fund; eligible students will be evaluated for all funds for which they are eligible. Please note: SIT Study Abroad scholarships and grants are only applicable to tuition and room/board fees billed by SIT Study Abroad. We do not award scholarships or grants to cover any other expenses, including, but not limited to, immunizations, visa fees, books, or study abroad fees charged by your home school. If your home school has an established billing agreement with us, it is your responsibility to communicate with your home school as to how your SIT scholarship or grant will be passed on to you by your home school. For a list of available scholarships and grants, click here.
$500 - $5000
