Dark Empire: Race, Health & Society in Britain
2009 Exploration Seminar in London, England

THIS PROGRAM IS FULL AND NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS. PLEASE CONSIDER ANOTHER EXPLORATION SEMINAR PROGRAM!

Program Director: Clarence Spigner, Associate Professor
Dates of Instruction: August 3 - 28, 2009

NOTE THAT THIS PROGRAM IS A SUMMER (B Term) AND NOT AN EARLY FALL PROGRAM: This affects how credit, payments and financial aid are handled. Please click here for information.

This four week Exploration Seminar is based at the University of Greenwich, in Southeast London, England.  We explore historical and contemporary factors responsible for the presence and well-being (health) of Black and other racial and ethnic minorities in Britain.  England played a major role in the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and among the first nation to abolish slave trading in 1806 and slavery in 1834. 

The British Raj (colonial occupation of India) ended in 1947. Non-whites now make-up 8% of the UK’s 60.5 million residents.  Guided by an African American professor with expertise in health and race-relations, among issues covered are: The National Health Service;  Britain’s anti-immigration laws; urban (race) riots; rise of Muslim fundamentalism especially among many Black British-born youths, Islamophobia.  Interactive seminars, field trips, guest lecturers, and participant-observation provide a cultural immersion for students to understand modern-day race/ethnic-relations within British society.  We culminate with in-depth discussions of White Teeth by Zadie Smith and Brick Lane by Monica Ali, two prize-winning novels about multiculturalism within modern London.  Students are encouraged to participate in the Notting Hill festival in London which is the second largest out-door ethnic festival in the world.

We are housed and most classes are taught at the Avery Hill Campus in the 86-acre Avery Hill Park in Eltham, southeast London.  Accommodations, change of towels and bed linen, a few meals and transportation to/from field trips are included.  The campus has open spaces, access to shopping, launderette, bookstore, library, cafeteria, parking, etc.

Credits: This program will offer a total of 6 credits, including five (5) credits of one of the following options, plus one (1) credit of GEN ST 392:

• CHID 471: Europe Study Abroad (I&S)
• SISAF 490: African Studies (I&S)
• AES 498: American Ethnic Studies (I&S)
• HSERV 490, or
• Independent Study 499 in SISAF (I&S), AES (I&S), or HSERV

Student costs:  

• $2,225, Program Fee
• $200 International Programs & Exchanges Fee
• Click here for a Estimated Budget of Student Expenses (for financial aid requests)
• Additional costs include: return airfare to London, most meals, local transportation, health insurance and personal spending money.
  
  

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