Join this trip to the potters’ enclave of Mata Ortiz in beautiful Chihuahua! This interdisciplinary travel abroad trip combines the environmental humanities with English and will offer you opportunities to visit archeological and architectural sites, museums, wineries, an organic farm, and a nature preserve. You will also discuss literature, write, and make your own pottery!
Throughout the semester, you will participate in weekly meetings to learn about the culture and history of Mata Ortiz. Once there, you will meet local people as you visit their homes and workplaces. You will stay with a local family and enjoy their home-made Mexican food.
As a field experience in environmental humanities and English, the course introduces students to the foundations of environmental humanities and offers hands-on learning experiences intended to reinforce conceptual knowledge. It seeks to foster positive, reciprocal connections with the natural environment beneficial to both human communities and the natural environment. Students will benefit from an exposure to the people of Chihuahua with their history and culture to explore issues of identity and agency in the context of a globalized world. They will further gain and share through writing an appreciation for the role of art and literature in promoting positive intercultural encounters.
