Summer Travel Program

Haiti Today: People, Culture & Politics

Port-au-Prince & Montrouis, Haiti

A Summer 2010 international study program in collaboration with L’Institut National d’Administration, de Gestion et Des Hautes Etudes Internationales (INAGHEI)

About the Program

This summer the Africana Studies Department, together with the William Monroe Trotter Institute, will offer a unique academic program on location in Haiti. This program explores the history, politics, culture, and the economic and social developments taking place in Haiti, from both external and internal perspectives. It will facilitate students’ understanding of Haiti through total immersion into culture, environment, language, and the country's economic, political and social realities.

Students will visit significant historical, cultural, and ecological sites in various towns including day trips to St. Marc, Gonaives and Kenscoff. Other planned trips include a two-day eco-excursion to the beautiful, artistic and literary town of Jacmel in southeastern Haiti, and a special twoday historic and cultural field trip to the north in Cap Haitien to visit the Citadel and King Henri Christophe’s Sans-Souci palace ruins in the town of Milot.

Additional activities include presentations by INAGHEI’s faculty, local experts, participation in local cultural events, and meetings with civic and political leaders.

Students are expected to attend two preparatory sessions at UMass Boston, read the assigned materials, and be prepared to participate in class discussions.

Faculty

Program director Professor Marc Prou is Chair of the Africana Studies Department and director of the Haitian Institute. He has considerable travel and study experience in Caribbean countries, and regularly takes study groups abroad to Cuba, Jamaica and Haiti. He will be joined by Professor Alix Cantave, Associate Director at the William M. Trotter Institute. Professor Cantave currently directs the university-partnership development projects with public and private institutions of higher education in Haiti.

The faculty will be assisted by Shauna Murray, Research Assistant, for all logistical inquiries. Shauna may be reached at HSA@umb.edu.

Haiti

Haiti (or AYITI) is an Awarak-derived name for the second largest island in the Caribbean, housing both the Republic of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. In 1804, Haiti became the second country in the Americas, after the United States, to break ties with colonial rule and has had an extraordinary social and political history since its liberation.

Location

The program will take place on the campus of L’INAGHEI (UEH) located in Port-au-Prince, and also in Montrouis, which is situated on the western coast of Haiti, Côte des Arcadins, the second largest coastal area of Haiti. The town of Montrouis is centrally located about 70 km from Port-au-Prince and provides easy access to the Central Plateau, as well as both the northern and southern parts of the country. In addition to attending daily class seminars, field trips to museums and historical sites, participants will work in small field service learning projects.

Courses and Credit

Participants register for two three-credit courses:

  • AFRSTY 480 Haiti: Culture and Politics
  • AFRSTY 478, Independent Study

AFRSTY 480 will be completed after the participant’s return from Haiti. Upon successful completion of the program, students will be awarded six credits from the Africana Studies Department.

By special permission, students may receive 3 credits for independent study from the Political Science Department or the International Relations Program.