The Program
- Learn about the role of media in the struggle for democracy in Central America, using Guatemala as your classroom
- Explore issues such as human rights, freedom of press, indigenous rights, and feminism in the press through visits to local news and community media organizations
- Learn about how colonialism and neoliberalism have had an impact on Guatemala and Central America in general
Your Host City: Guatemala City, Antigua, and Panajachel
Students will visit the capital of Guatemala City, home of the country’s major media outlets, and speak with journalists at newspapers, radio and TV stations including grassroots media projects such as TV Maya, dedicated to promoting Mayan linguistic and cultural programming and Indigenous rights, and “Voces de Mujeres,” the country’s first and only feminist magazine and radio station. From there, the class will travel to villages along beautiful Lake Panajachel to understand the daily life and struggles of Guatemala’s Mayan communities and the role grassroots media play in education, empowerment and employment projects. Finally, we will spend time in the lovely 16th century colonial town of Antigua, Guatemala’s first capital and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Surrounded by picturesque volcanoes, this town is a living museum, filled with Spanish colonial architecture, museums, art galleries, performance spaces, shops, cafes and traditional craft markets.
Academics
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Faculty Director Profile:
Regina Marchi
Professor Marchi conducts research and teaches on topics related to media theory and cultural studies, focusing on the intersection of media, culture, and politics. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Journalism and Media Studies and is an affiliated professor with the Department of Latino and Caribbean Studies, the Rutgers Center for Race and Ethnicity, and the Center for Media Studies.
Email Professor Marchi at:
rmarchi@rutgers.edu |
Students must have completed "Gender, Race, and Class in the Media" (preferably with Professor Marchi) or "Media and Social Change" before going abroad in order to be eligible for this program.
To view the program’s 2017 sample syllabus, please click
here. Please note this is a sample syllabus, all of its content is subject to change.
This 10-day travel course takes students to Guatemala to learn about the role of media in historic and contemporary struggles for democracy. This is a hybrid course with five mandatory meetings on Thursdays, 2:50 - 5:50pm in 114B on the following days: April 4, 11, 18, 25, and May 2.
Students will visit the bustling capital of Guatemala City; the lovely 16th century colonial town of Antigua (a UNESCO World Heritage site), the lakeside town of Panajachel and several Mayan villages. The class will meet with journalists, human rights activists, Indigenous rights associations, women’s collectives and other community groups. We will visit news agencies, community radio and TV stations, the office of the country’s first and only feminist magazine and radio station, museums and historic sites. Through readings, films, lectures, and site visits, students will learn about the regional effects of colonization, US military intervention and neoliberal economic policies in Guatemala and neighboring Central American countries, as well as local struggles for political autonomy, human rights and democracy.
For information about study abroad credit transfer, registration, and transcripts please visit the
Academics section of our website.
Accommodations and Meals
Students will be staying at historic hotels in each program location including the historic Pan American Hotel in Guatemala City, the lovely Hotel Rancho Grande Inn in Panajachel, and a 17th century convent in Antigua. Breakfast and dinner will be included in Antigua.
Financial Information
For more information about the program cost and additional non-billable expenses for this program, please view the
program budget sheet.
For more information about finances, including information about financial aid and tuition remission please visit the
Finances section of our website.
As part of your preparation to apply for this study abroad program, please familiarize yourself with the Center for Global Education
withdrawal policy.
Scholarships
Students are also encouraged to start researching scholarship opportunities as early as possible. There are many kinds of scholarships available, with different eligibility requirements and application criteria. To get a sense of what scholarships are available for your program, please download the
Scholarships-at-a-Glance worksheet and visit our
scholarship directory for a comprehensive list of study abroad scholarships.