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2009
Exploration Seminar in Mexico
¡Al Norte!: Immigration to the United States
from and through Mexico
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Overview
This UW 2009 Exploration Seminar has been created mainly, but not
exclusively, for Heritage Learners. The main purpose of this Exploration
Seminar is for the students to learn about the long-standing migration
relationship between Mexico and the U.S. dating back to the 1900s.
In order to have a better understanding of the migration patterns,
we'll travel to three different traditional and not so traditional
emigrant states- Michoacán, Oaxaca, and Chiapas- to learn about the migration flows
and their social, economic, and political impact in both countries.
The seminar will start in the state of Oaxaca, where we will learn
about the impact of the Indigenous exodus in the late '90s and early
00's, which became significant due to the Mexican economic crises. We'll then visit
the state of Chiapas (San Cristóbal de las Casas), a transit state for people coming
from Central America. The seminar will end in Michoacán, which is one of the first
and oldest states where migrants were recruited to work for the U.S. railroad companies in
the late 1900s, and which has since become one of the traditionally Mexican migrant states for
agricultural workers.
Dates
Dates of the program will coincide with Summer Quarter C-term at the
UW: August 24 - September 18, 2009.
Learning Goals
In this seminar, we will address the following questions, among many
others: 
- What was the Bracero Program all about? Was it effective or a complete failure?
- When and at what rate were emigrants leaving Mexico and Central America historically?
- Is the large scale of illegal immigration a new trend?
- What are the social ramifications when one or both parents leave their homeland to go to the U.S.?
- When do emigrants start immigrating to the U.S. with their families?
- Is it worth the risk of life or limb to migrate to the U.S.?
- What is the Mexican government doing to keep their nationals at home?
This is also an opportunity for students to discover that Mexico is a multicultural and diverse nation,
and that while it is true that many want to emigrate to the U.S., many others want to stay in the place
they live.
Courses
5 credits of SPAN 393 or SISLA 399:
This course will consist of lectures in Spanish, taught in the three
states by local research professors specialized in Migration Studies.
Students will have the opportunity for classroom discussions on immigration
history and issues and policy making. They will also view a documentary
about migrants from Central America.
Class assignments will include readings on migration (in English and
Spanish) provided by the professors. Professors will give an exam
at the end of each week, based on the readings and discussions in
class.
In addition to the lectures, students will need to attend conferences
and visit sites relevant to the topic of migration. Students will
also be required to keep a  reflective
journal of their findings in regards to immigration, the field trips,
Mexican culture, their peoples, and their own attitudes towards migration
issues in Mexico and the U.S., AND complete one of the following project
options: a photo essay, a testimonial narrative, or a digital story
on immigration.
Students will also need to bring with them two books: "The
Devil's Highway" by Luis Alberto Urrea and "Enrique's Journey" by
Sonia Nazario for a book discussion, which will be held tertulia-style
in the famous Café Tacuba in Mexico City and
in the Café de los Sentidos, a coffee house and art
gallery in the beautiful colonial city of Morelia.
Excursions & Other Activities
To better understand what the emigrants are leaving behind, we will
explore the Mayan archeological site of Palenque in Chiapas, Monte
Albán and Mitla in the states of Oaxaca, as well as excursions
to National and Eco-Parks, lakes, beaches, and colonial cities.
Housing Information
Participants will stay primarily with local families, and be provided
with two meals a day (on average). During excursions students will
stay in hotels (included in the program fee).
Insurance
Participants should provide proof of health/accident insurance coverage. For more information,
please see the UW Exploration Seminar Website.
ELIGIBILITY
& APPLICATION
Eligibility Requirements
Students should have 300-level or higher proficiency in Spanish.
Application Procedure
Please refer to the UW Exploration Seminar Website
for application information.
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Program Fees
The total cost of the program is US $2,850. This amount includes housing, in-country transportation,
course-related site visits, extra-curricular field trips, and two meals a day. It does NOT include
round-trip airfare, passport, health insurance, vaccines, $250 concurrent enrollment fee to the IP&E Office,
some meals, or personal expenses.
Scholarship & Funding Information
Scholarship Ideas:
- Go
Global Scholarship- $2,000-5,000. Eligibility: WA resident with
documented financial need.
- Fritz
Scholarship- $2,000-5,000. Eligibility: Humanities or Social Sciences major with a
cumulative GPA of at least 3.0.
For additional funding opportunities, please see IP&E's
Other Funding Ideas for Study Abroad document.
Additional Financial Information
For information regarding the payment schedule, financial aid, and the refund schedule,
please refer to the UW Exploration Seminar Website.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Questions about the program can be answered by:
María Gillman
(Program Director)
Padelford Hall, B-229
(206) 543-6208
mgill@u.washington.edu
 About
the Director: María Gillman is the Third Year Language
Program Coordinator and Divisional Director of Experiential Learning
in the Division of Spanish & Portuguese Studies. She has directed
UW study abroad programs in Oaxaca, Ecuador, and Guatemala. Last year
she was the recipient of the Keith Crosbie Professional Growth Award
granted by the Washington Association of Foreign Language Teachers
(WAFLT), which allowed her to do a research project on immigration
titled "The Other Border", on the border between Mexico and Guatemala.
Marķa Gillman was also the recipient of the UW's 2005 Distinguished
Contributions to Lifelong Learning Award. She is a native speaker
of Spanish.
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See
also…
Study Abroad Overview
UW IP&E Office
Programs during the Academic Year:
Cádiz, Spain
Oaxaca, Mexico
Quito, Ecuador
León, Spain
Summer Programs:
León, Spain
Quito, Ecuador
Crossing the Suchiate River
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