SPAN 396: Oaxaca and Oaxacalifornia: Responsible Tourism, Traditional Culture and Migration
Department: Latin American and Iberian Cultures
Director: For more information contact Professor Sarah Portnoy at portnoy@usc.edu
Dates: May 19 – June 14, 2025. (Students will spend the last few days on Zoom completing the final project and presentations).
(Students will spend 4 days in Los Angeles learning about L.A.’s Oaxacan communities and 3 weeks in Mexico (4 days in Mexico city exploring the Templo Mayor, museums, the city center and 16 days in Oaxaca visiting mountains, markets, indigenous towns, and waterfalls).
Location: Oaxaca, Mexico.
Course Description:
Oaxaca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of Mexico’s most culturally and biologically diverse states. Students visiting this region will experience a vibrant mix of traditions, with sixteen indigenous languages spoken alongside Spanish, reflecting its rich cultural tapestry. The state’s ecosystems range from mountainous highlands and tropical jungles to coastal areas, offering a wide range of biodiversity.
Exploring Oaxaca means engaging with its traditional and street art, tasting its renowned local cuisine, and visiting archaeological sites that reveal the deep history of its indigenous civilizations. Students will also have the unique opportunity to interact with indigenous communities, gaining insight into their traditional forms of cooking, healing and sustainable living practices. Oaxaca’s fusion of ancient and contemporary cultures, combined with its natural beauty, provides a dynamic setting for students to explore art, history, food, and the environment.
Students will also experience a hands-on cooking class, have a home stay in an indigenous village, paint their own animal figurines and hike a sacred mountain.
CLICK HERE to view the tentative syllabus or the one from the previous program.
Course credit:
This is a 4-unit course. It is taught mostly in English, but an intermediate level of Spanish (SPAN 240) is strongly encouraged since many of the speakers do not speak any English.
*Application & Google Form Deadline: Monday, December 9, 2024 by 11:59 p.m.
*Please note: You need to fill out both, the LAIC Program Information Google Form and the Dornsife Faculty Led Programs Application in order to complete the application process. Please access both of the links below:
1. CLICK HERE to access the LAIC Program Information Google Form for 2025.
2. CLICK HERE to access the USC Dornsife Faculty Led Programs Application.
Eligibility:
This is a class open to all undergraduate students and all majors.
Graduate students are ineligible to apply. Progressive students must contact the FLP office for eligibility prior to applying (flp@dornsife.usc.edu).
Clearance of SPAN 240 or equivalent by the end of fall is required. If students have not taken any Spanish courses at USC, took Spanish at other locations, or learned Spanish at home or by other means, please contact program director directly to see if they meet the language criteria.
Info Session: Friday, October 9, 2024 at 6 p.m. (THH 156D Library).
Flyer:
CLICK HERE to access the flyer.
Estimated Costs (Excluding Spring Tuition). If on a mobile device, you may need to scroll left to right to see the costs.
| Airfare | ~ $400 (roundtrip) |
| Housing | ~ $380 |
| Meals | ~$150 (depends on how much you spend, all breakfasts and many lunches included) |
*Housing and breakfast with a local family. Most meals included.
Note: Students should wait to purchase airline tickets until instructed to do so, as courses may be canceled due to unforeseen circumstances.
PLEASE NOTE: A $500 non-refundable deposit is due upon student acceptance of a Maymester course. This deposit will be charged to the student’s account on or just after 1/24 and applied to the housing/program fee or refunded to student account on or just after 4/15. While most spring courses allow for an add/drop period, Maymester courses require immediate commitment due to travel arrangements and budgeting.