COURSE INFORMATION:

Students will be enrolled in the following courses:

RELS 215: Religion and Globalization/INTL 290: Special Topics - 3 credits
ENVT 352/INTL 390: Special Topics - International Development and Environmental Rights in the Indian Himalayas - 3 credits

INTL 390/ENVT 352: International Development and Environmental Justice in the Indian Himalaya - 3 credits


PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

This is a four week summer program that immerses students in the culture, environmental changes, local and refugee political communities, and religious diversity of the Indian Himalayan region of Ladakh and Dharasmsala. Although Ladakh and Dharamsala. Although Ladakh's rugged high desert landscape is so sparsely populated that it is often described in travel literature as "isolated," it has actually been a crossroads for the transmission of religions (including Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Christianity) and goods for at least a thousand years. Today Ladakh is undergoing rapid social change and a "renaissance" of sorts, due in part to the rapid influx of western adventure and spiritual tourists, and to Tibetan political refugees who are recreating their Buddhist traditions in their adopted homeland.

The first part of the program will take place in Leh, the political, religious, and tourist hub of Ladakh, which is an exciting laboratory for examining the cross-cultural encounter of western travelers, Indian tourists, Tibetan exiles, and local Ladakhis. After acclimatizing we will travel into rural villages, to Alchi (a UNESCO world heritage site), to Lamayuru monastery, to Phokar Dzong, a sacred Buddhist pilgrimage and meditation site, and to Nubra valley, the historical gateway for many caravans that traveled on the Silk Route across Central Asia.

We then travel to Dharamsala, the current home of the Dalai Lama and the seat of the Tibetan government in exile, where we will meet with Tibetan refugees and community leaders. Finally, we spend the last few days in India's capital of Delhi, where we will visit some of India's largest modern religious institutions, including the Bahai Lotus Temple, the Hare Krishna (ISKCON) Temple, and India's largest mosque.

This course will entail a high altitude tour in a rugged Trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh. Field trips, site visits, and guesthouse accommodations range between 11,500-14,500 feet in elevation, with high pass crossings up to 18,300 feet. There is ample time built into the itinerary to acclimatize, but participants must be in good health and willing to study in and hike to high altitude field sites.


PROGRAM DIRECTORS:

Dr. Zeff Bjerken
Department of Religious Studies
bjerken@cofc.edu
843-953-7156

Dr. Bjerken has over 30 years experience in study and travel throughout the Indian Himalayas, where he has lived in monasteries for his research on Himalayan religions. During those years he has gained extensive experience with Indian study abroad programs, both as a participant and as a lecturer. Four times he has served as a guide for summer cultural and trekking tours to the Himalayan regions of North India and Pakistan.

Amberjade Taylor
amberjade@gwmail.gwu.edu

Ms. Taylor spent from January 2012-June 2014 living in Dharamsala, where she worked full-time in an international human rights organization and collaborated closely with students and academic leaders for CofC, Emory University, and the School for International Training. She is currently completing her Master's degree at George Washington University in International Development Studies, where she is studying emergency management, disaster response in the Himalayas, and refugee/migrant issues.

Bjerken and Taylor both completed a very successful program in June 2016 with 12 CofC students.

Note: For questions regarding on-site program details and course content, please contact Dr. Bjerken. Any inquiries regarding application processing, billing, or scholarship opportunities can be directed to the Center for International Education (contact information listed above).