Roukema Center for International Education
Office of Study Abroad & Off-Campus Programs
Sustainable Development in India
| Term |
Summer |
| Credits |
6 |
| Location |
Bangalore, India |
| Eligibility |
2.5 GPA, Good judicial standing |
Faculty / Program Team
Ruma Sen, Professor of Communication Arts,
rsen@ramapo.edu
Ashwani Vasishth, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies,
vasishth@ramapo.edu
Sanghamitra Padhy, Assistant Professor of Law & Sustainability, spadhy@ramapo.edu
Renowned faculty from Indian universities along with famous writers, journalists and activitists will deliver lectures to students throughout the semester.
Program Description
Students will be registered for a 4-credit course titled Sustainable Development in India (INTD 299) and a 2-credit International Cooperative Experience. This course can fulfill requirements in the Sociology, International Studies, and Environmental Studies majors, the Anthropology minor, and may apply to some General Education requirements as well. Course credit towards other majors is possible with permission. As a student you will "live your courses;" all of these courses include a wide range of experiential learning opportunities such as frequent trips to temples, markets, urban and rural development projects, and cultural sites. Students will also view and respond to a series of Indian films. The program will begin with a two-week preparatory phase at Ramapo College of New Jersey, before traveling to India for 4 weeks.
Site Description
The Ramapo College South India Summer Program is based at the Fireflies Intercultural Centre, thirty kilometers from Bangalore, in a beautiful grove of fruit trees and flowers on a hill that slopes down to a lake. Fireflies is concerned with promoting Earth spirituality, the resolution of ethnic violence, and the deepening of democracy and civil society in India. Fireflies hosts international events and seminars on social transformation. Pipal Tree, an organization located at Fireflies, conducts local workshops for the cultural revitalization of religion, myth, folk traditions, dance, arts and crafts, as well as conflict resolution, environmental resources and spirituality. Students will also travel widely in South India as part of their coursework.
Course Descriptions
Sustainable Development in India (INTD 299) - 4 credits
This course will be divided into three modules: Cultural & Social Context; Sustainability; and Communities. Each module will include lectures, assignments and excursions. The course will introduce students to pre- and postcolonial Indian history; social diversity, including class, caste, and gender, philosophical, spiritual, and religious traditions; and contemporary political and economic issues. The idea of "development" has had a major influence on the formation of economic, social and political institutions, spanning from the post-Independence period to modern-day India. Broadly, the story can be told on three interwoven themes: hyper-modernization, appropriate technology and sustainable development. This course will trace the trajectory of these three themes: in the West, in India and in the Developing World, as undergirded by Gandhi's calls for self-sufficiency and sustainable development. Beginning with post-independence India, "development" was institutionalized through centralized planning apparatuses, such as large-scale modernization programs to increase agrarian and industrial production. In later phases of Indian development, these ideas moved from the "mixed economy" approach to the recent "liberalization" and integration of the economy into the global economy. The course also includes an analysis of the rise of the non-governmental sector in India, with their calls for a more appropriate approach to technology and sustainable development. Finally, the course will examine human rights movements in South India through organizational visits and service projects.
International Cooperative Experience - 2 credits
Each student will have the unique opportunity to contribute towards the successful progress of Bangalore-area non-profit and non-governmental organizations. Students will support these organizations in program development, program delivery, program assessment, program administration and other tasks as needed by these organizations. Organizations will be a variety of sectors, including, but not limited to: sanitation, gender issues, sexual minorities, agriculture/food security, urban planning, and much more. This component will occur within each module after students have learned some critical background information.
Learning Outcomes
By participating in this program, students will be able to:
- Draw comparisons between their own culture and that of India
- Analyze the trends of social movements in South India
- Examine the effects of sustainability on development and globalization in India
- Practice cross-cultural communication
Student Assessment
Evaluation will include examinations, reflection papers and self-initiated research projects.
Excursions
Students will spend the majority of their program on field trips outside of Fireflies. Trips will include visits to development projects promoting women's literacy and ecological sustainability, ancient temples and palaces, and tribal villages. Excursions will include visits to a variety of institutions in and around Bangalore city, as well as to Mysore, H.D. Kote and the state of Kerala.
Accommodations
Students live and study at Fireflies for most of their stay and will share comfortable double bedrooms, each with attached bath. The Fireflies campus has conference halls, meditation centers, walking paths, computers, wireless internet service*, a library and several dining pavilions. During field trips, accommodations will include educational institutions and hotels with roughly equivalent facilities. Leisure activities include pottery, volleyball, carom board, scrabble, swimming in an outdoor pool, and exploring sites in and around Bangalore, such as the Banerghatta tiger reserve (at student's own expense).
*Internet service may be intermittent due to local realities
Program Costs
Approximately $TBD (NJ Residents) / $TBD (Non-NJ Residents)
Program cost includes:
- Round-trip airfare from NYC to Bangalore, India
- Accommodations (double or triple room)
- Most meals
- Tuition & fees for 6 credits
- Preparatory costs & Academic materials (i.e. books)
- All excursions and entrance fees
- Comprehensive international health insurance (GeoBlue)
- Indian visa fee
Program cost does not include:
- Some meals
- Immunization fees
- U.S. airport transfers
- Personal expenses (i.e. independent travel, etc.)
- Supplemental dietary needs
- Fees associated with flight date changes
| Payment Timeline |
| Commitment & $500 Deposit (non-refundable) |
March 15 |
| Payment #1: |
April 1 |
| Payment #2: |
April 15 |
| Payment #3: |
May 1 |
Late Fees
A late fee of $35 will be assessed for each payment not received by the payment deadlines communicated to you by the International Programs Office. Note: There will be a 3-day grace period before a late fee is assessed.
Contact Us
For more information regarding application process, important dates and deadlines, scholarship information, contact the Study Abroad Office by email at goabroad@ramapo.edu, by phone at 201-684-7533 or by visiting our website (http://www.ramapo.edu/international).
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