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College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Anthropology

Virtual ethnographic field school in Ecuador this winter semester

The anthropology department is excited to announce the virtual ethnographic field school in Ecuador this upcoming winter semester – a cultural immersion experience doing hands-on research, with the cost and convenience of an online course!

"It's something that I will remember for the rest of my life. This was a beautiful experience. To be able to look into a completely different culture and share some laughs with people on the other side of the world is special." - Student Yoel Gonzalez on the fall 2020 field school.

This course, taught online from Ecuador, immerses students virtually in the culture of an Andean village. Students connect with villagers through Zoom and WhatsApp, learning about rural livelihoods and sustainability in the context of climate change and globalization.

The course is offered at undergraduate and graduate levels and is open to all students without prerequisites -- no previous anthropology courses or Spanish skills are required. It will be especially valuable for students in anthropology, Spanish, Latin American studies, environmental studies, and global studies, and meets course requirements in some of these areas.

San Vicente de Bolívar is a Spanish-speaking village in the Andes mountains, at 8,000 feet above sea level. Farmers in San Vicente grow corn on modest plots they own or sharecrop. They face multiple challenges including low prices for their corn, declining agricultural fertility, new crop diseases, dependence on expensive and harmful chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and disruptions to normal weather patterns associated with climate change. The field school research aims to understand the social and cultural dimensions of these challenges and ultimately help to develop economically and environmentally sustainable responses.

ANT 3600 and 6290, a three-credit course, will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. EST, from January to early May. Students will have the opportunity to develop anthropological research skills and analyze economic and environmental challenges in rural Latin America. Students with questions can contact Dr. Barry Lyons.

Have questions? Visit the FAQ page.

Ecuador Virtual Ethnographic Field School Anthropological field school with the cost and convenience of an online course If interested contact Dr. Barry Lyons barry.lyons@wayne.edu Course Description ANT 3600 and 6290 3 Credit Course Jan. 11 - May 3 Class meets on Zoom Tu & Th 5:30-6:45 ET This course taught online from Ecuador, immerses students virtually in the culture of an Andean village. Students connect with villagers through Zoom and WhatsApp, practicing language skills while learning about rural livelihoods and sustainability in the context of climate change and globalization. Develop anthropological research skills, analyze economic and environmental challenges in rural Latin America, improve Spanish language skills, explore and meet requirements in anthropology, global studies, Spanish, Latin American studies, undergraduate and graduate levels. Prerequisites: At least Intermediate-level Spanish fluency & instructor permission. Contact barry.lyons@wayne.edu Location San Vicente de Bolí­var is a Spanish-speaking village in the Andes mountains, at 8,000 feet above sea level. Farmers in San Vicente grow corn on modest plots they own or sharecrop. They face multiple challenges including low prices for their corn, declining agricultural fertility, new crop diseases, dependence on expensive and harmful chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and disruptions to normal weather patterns associated with climate change. Our research aims to understand the social and cultural dimensions of these challenges and ultimately help to develop economically and environmentally sustainable responses.

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