THE 1994-95 GLOBAL SEMESTER

In cooperation with a St. Olaf coordinator at the American University in Cairo, Egypt, and with staff members of the Ecumenical Christian Center, Bangalore, India: Chinese University (Hong Kong), and Otani University, Kyoto, Japan, St. Olaf students may spend the fall semester and the Interim studying sociocultural developments in the non-Western world. A faculty member from St. Olaf College, serving as field supervisor, teaches the interdisciplinary course.

The cost for the 1993-94 program was $5.325 over and above the normal comprehensive fee. The cost covers the following: around the world group travel via regularly scheduled jet aircraft economy class; tuition and fees; accommodations enroute in standard hotels with three persons sharing a room; breakfast and one main meal per day; accommodations in student hostels or similar establishments in the four principal university centers; participation in scheduled sightseeing programs according to itinerary; transportation of 44 pounds of baggage, checked or unchecked.

Five specific courses are offered.
The interdisciplinary course is taught by the St. Olaf faculty member.

Art: Comparative Arts of the World: A Cross Cultural Perspective. An interdisciplinary and introductory study of global issues such as: poverty, population,health and nutrition, energy use, gender roles, development alternatives, and the cultural dimensions of development. Readings, lectures, agency briefings, site visits, and cultural events provide an intellectual and experiential framework for comparison and contrast among the cultures studied. International agencies and local experts provide many of the planned experiences; each field supervisor provides topical emphases.
History: Themes in Ancient Graeco-Roman and Islamic-Egyptian History Lectures, discussions, and extensive field trips provide understanding of significant developments of themes in Egypt's ancient and medieval past with emphasis on dynastic Coptic and Islamic periods. Field trips include visits to Luxor and Alexandria.
Political Science: Indian Political Economy. A study of the Indian political system and its attempts to address the problems of poverty, social conflict and economic development. Major political and economic activities will be reviewed from the time of British Colonialism until the present. The relationship of societal subgroups and social change movements are examined together with the influence of Hinduism, Islam, caste, and Western culture. Considerable opportunity provided for individual and group interactions with Indian society.
Art: The Arts of China. Survey of Chinese art, its function, its technique, and its aesthetic elements frombronzes and oracle bones of the Shang Dynasty to porcelain and scroll paintings of the Ching dynasty.
Religion: Religions of Japan Past and Present. Lectures and field trips within the city of Kyoto and its immediate vicinity for the purpose of Buddhism, Shintoism, folk religions and the new religions.