Studying in Auroville is an exciting opportunity to learn about literary utopias/dystopias and theoretical writings about the formation of intentional communities while living within and participating in one. Auroville was founded in 1968 in South India by The Mother and other followers of Sri Aurobindo with the intention of establishing a universal township open to men and women from across the globe. While non-sectarian, spirituality is a core value for the community and all members are expected to be committed to the goal of human unity. Auroville is a complex community that struggles with the legacies of colonialism and the difficulties of making a sustainable community in a difficult physical environment while remaining faithful to the vision of The Mother.

CHID 475A (5 credits) I&S

Imagining Community: Readings in Utopian/Dystopian Literature and Theory

Since we will be living in an intentional community, this course will look at writings about the creation of intentional communities—both utopian (ideal) and dystopian (nightmarish). These writings offer visions for radical social change as well as warnings for the continuation of existing social patterns. People have repeatedly tried to create—both in practice and in theory—ideal human societies with varying degrees of success. We will examine how the authors’ social, historical, and cultural contexts influence which components of community are considered significant and study the lessons they offer as the authors critique their present and offer lessons for the future.

CHID 475B (3 credits) I&S

The History and Practice of Auroville

This course will be made up of a series of lectures, discussions and readings organized and facilitated by current citizens of Auroville. Together we will learn how Auroville was designed to realize the utopian visions of Sri Aurobindo and Mirra Richard (The Mother), and how Auroville continues to strive towards those goals through a variety of projects. The goal of this course is to have Aurovillians introduce us to their community and help us see it from their perspectives.

CHID 499A (5 credits)

Engaged Community Learning Project

Each student will participate in one of the diverse projects currently occurring in Auroville. Some examples of areas of focus are architecture, farming and forestry, teaching, town planning, design, I.T., health, village development, landscaping, social research, project writing and administration. The goal of this work is to have us be active participants in the Aurovillian community rather than outside observers.

The program fee is still being finalized and is expected to be around $4,200, including the $350 deposit. This fee will cover program costs, housing, credits, and transportation and overnight accommodations for field trips. Upon acceptance, participants are required to submit a signed payment contract to the CHID office. At this time, the non-refundable $350 deposit, applied to the program fee, will be assessed to the student’s tuition account. In addition and at the same time, students pay the IPE fee of $250 to the Office of International Programs and Exchanges.

The program fee does not cover: IPE fee, airfare, meals, insurance or personal travel and expenses.

The CHID Program reserves the right to change the program fee based upon dollar devaluation or severe inflation. If such a change occurs, students will be notified of the increase and an adjustment will be made to the final program payment.

All fees are charged to students’ accounts, and paid the same way as tuition.

Refund: Once we have received your contract, the $350 deposit and IPE fees are non-refundable. Any student withdrawing from the program is subject to a date dependent withdrawal policy outlined in their contract. Student withdrawing from the program after given deadlines will be liable for a percentage of the program fee depending upon the date of withdrawal, which could range from $600 to the entire program fee.

Participants who wish to withdraw must submit a signed Withdrawal Form to both the CHID and IPE offices.

TBD

Most forms of financial aid can be used during participation in this program. Participants who are on financial aid should contact the Financial Aid office to verify that their awards will apply. Students interested in applying for increased financial aid during their study abroad should obtain a revision request from the Financial Aid office, and a budget of student expenses from the IPE office, and submit both to the Financial Aid office in Schmitz Hall.

Students from all areas of study are encouraged to apply. After applying, students will be contacted for an interview.
NOTE: In order to receive credit for this program, participants must submit a Concurrent Enrollment (CE) form to the IPE office.
There is a $25 late fee for forms that are turned in after the deadline.

Departure Quarter	Concurrent Enrollment Deadline
Autumn	September 1
Winter	December 1
Spring	March 1
Summer	May 1
Exploration Seminar	July 1