Compassionate Leadership: “The Power of Love, Service and Inner Work”: Experiencing the Life of Mahatma Gandhi and other Compassion-based leaders

Nimo Patel, Chaz Howard, and Tia Gaines, Asian American Studies; School of Arts and Sciences

Travel to India

This course invites students to explore the legacies of Compassion–based leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Grace Lee Boggs, Nipun Mehta, Tony Hsieh and more. Through analysis of their lives, teachings and practices, participants will examine and practice the principles of nonviolence, service, the transformative power of love, and the “inner-work” required to have a deeper impact in the world. The course will highlight how these leaders’ approaches to social change and ethical living can be applied in today’s globalized world. The course will focus on constructive and experiential application, reflection and critical analysis, personal practices and experiments (“inner-work”) that the students will do to experience the philosophy and actions of these leaders first-hand and not just intellectually. It will require stepping a bit deeper into the Philadelphia community as well, through group activities such as a walking pilgrimage in the city, a volunteer service project, a campaign utilizing the power of ‘non-violence’ and more. The course will culminate in January 2026 with a service trip with Nimo and Chaz to the Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India to explore the learnings and ideas practiced through the course. The Gandhi Ashram is one of the most iconic sites in India, as it is the birth-place of the non-violent freedom movement of India that Mahatma Gandhi started in 1917, after moving back to India from South Africa. Ahmedabad city, is the 1st UNESCO World Heritage City of India and one of only 3 in the Country.

Darwin’s Laboratory: History, Philosophy, Evolution and Social Ecology in the Galápagos Archipelago

Dr. Michael Weisberg, Philosophy; School of Arts and Sciences

Travel to Galápagos

Charles Darwin’s first impression of the Galápagos was not a positive one. Upon landing on San Cristóbal Island, he was underwhelmed, commenting that the island reminded him of “what we might imagine cultivated parts of the Infernal regions to be.” But Darwin quickly recognized that the Galápagos is a unique place to study geology and natural history. We will follow in his footsteps, studying ecology, evolution, and the natural history of Galápagos, along with the growing impact of humans on this fragile place. The course will culminate in a visit to the Galápagos archipelago to examine first-hand the issues and theories discussed throughout the seminar. 

Energy Security and Geopolitics

Scott Moore, Department of Political Science; School of Arts and Sciences

Travel to Taiwan

Thanks to the near-total dependence on fossil energy, Taiwan most likely has the strongest geopolitical motivation in the world to invest in renewable energy yet have done so only tentatively. This course would likely be the first such class on climate geopolitics to be offered at a major American university. Major topics to be covered include climate science and policy; energy systems; geopolitical theory; environmental security; and cross-straits relations. The course will inform a book manuscript underway.

Health and the Healthcare System in Chile

Dr. Eileen Lake, Biobehavioral Health Sciences; School of Nursing

Travel to Chile

This seminar provides interdisciplinary perspectives on health and illness in Chile, health system organization and financing, the health workforce, national health priorities, strategies, and recent reforms. Penn faculty in nursing, sociology, demography, economics, and Wharton share their expertise. The winter break field experience, which is summertime in Chile, focuses on health services delivery in metropolitan Santiago, including visits to a public and a private hospital, a primary care center, and a geriatric institute. Chile’s unique political and economic history provides the context for its current healthcare system and challenges. Therefore, we also visit cultural sites, notably the homes of the Nobel poet Pablo Neruda, the Museum of Memory and Human Rights, the bustling port city and bay of Valparaiso, and historic and government sites in the city of Santiago.

American Race: A Philadelphia Story

Dr. Fariha I. Khan, Asian American Studies Program, School of Arts and Sciences and Fernando Chang-Muy, JD, Penn Carey Law

Travel to Greece

This introductory course frames the academic study of race in the United States through dialogue and a multi-disciplinary approach with a focus on international law, U.S. law, and the lived experience in Philadelphia. Specific themes on race are analyzed through readings, class discussions, and interactive engagement with local community leaders, scholars, and activists. The historical and contemporary overview introduces key concepts of race and racialization in relation to U.S. and international laws, key theoretical methodologies, and major scholarly works. The course will also offer a specialized international focus on Greece as a case study and travel to Athens to work with local NGOs. 

The Biochemical Engineering of Wine

Bomyi Lim and Talid Sinno, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; School of Engineering and Applied Science

Travel to Argentina

This course is offered parallel to CBE 5560: Biochemical Engineering of Wine. The course including the travel component will be CBE 4560, which will be restricted to undergraduate students only. This course surveys the biochemistry and biochemical unit operations involved in the commercial production of modern wines. Topics will include grape growing, pressing, fermentation, filtration, and packaging/aging. Emphasis will also be placed on yeast microbiology and wine biochemistry. Lectures will be supported by wine tasting sessions to highlight the important characteristics of different wine types. The travel component will feature visits to wineries in Mendoza, Argentina, to learn from the wineries about winemaking processes and techniques as well as regional responses to climate change.

The Functions of Art

Errol Lord; Department of Philosophy; School of Arts and Sciences

Travel to Italy

Art is a perennial human institution. We write, act, dance, paint, make orchestrated noise. Many live and die for these activities. Sometimes they make people rich, but for the most part that is not why we do them. Sometimes they aid in the production of scientific knowledge, but for the most part that is not why we do them. This can easily seem strange. Why place so much value in this vast collection of sounds, pieces of wood, words in files across the world’s vast servers? It seems like our obsession with art must spring from a deep well of humanity, but its functions remain obscure. This course is about functions of art across time, told from the perspective of philosophy of art and its history.  Given the nature of the travel component of the course, we will focus most of our attention on visual art. We will consider five different types of function: Moral, religious, aesthetic, transcendental, and political.  The first half of the course will build up to our Spring Break trip to Italy–to Florence, Padua, and Venice. Our trip will focus not only on the huge variety of masterpieces we will see, but also on their social, religious, and aesthetic functions. We will be particularly interested in how these functions interact with their physical setting, whether it be in a church, monastery, or museum. In the second half of the course, we will also make trips to the Barnes Collection and the Philadelphia Museum of Art, focusing on their world class collections of 19th and 20th century art. 

In the Shadow of Empires: Iran, Armenia and Azerbaijan

John Ghazvinian; Modern Middle Eastern Studies; School of Arts and Sciences

Travel to the Armenia

Few countries on earth are more consistently in the cross-hairs of US foreign policy than Iran. More than 40 years since the 1979 revolution, the list of US sanctions against Iran is now so long that it would be ordinarily impossible for Penn students to visit the country. However, this seminar allows students to consider Iran’s unique role in the region and the world through a historical and political lens that is not typically thought-of— the Caucasian dimension. For centuries, Iran has been not just a Middle Eastern power, but also a power in the Caucasus— and this class will examine the critical triangle of conflict and coexistence that has connected Iran to its northwestern borderlands. Students will be exposed to a deeper understanding of the ongoing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan (technically at war since 1994), and how both countries have been the center of Iranian/Persian, Turkish/Ottoman and Russian/Soviet imperial strategies at various points in time. The seminar will include a visit to key sites in Armenia and Azerbaijan (in alternating years), highlighting the shared religious, cultural and political heritage of the three countries and seeking to arrive at a deeper understanding of how this divisive conflict has shaped the geopolitical landscape. The course will be divided into four themes aimed at students from each of Penn’s four schools: history, religion and politics (SAS); public health and conflict (Nursing); post-war reconstruction (SEAS); political economy and foreign direct investment (Wharton).

Lactation and Birth Care Advocacy in the Dominican Republic

Elizabeth Harbuck, Cara McGuinness, and Dr. Diane Spatz, School of Nursing 

Travel to the Dominican Republic

This course examines the intersections of reproductive health, lactation, and public health efforts in the Caribbean and the United States. The Dominican Republic has one of the lowest breastfeeding exclusivity rates (4%) and one of the highest rates of cesarean delivery (63%) globally. This course engages students in comparative analyses of structural, cultural, and colonial influences on lactation and birth practices in the United States and the Dominican Republic. Students will explore advocacy strategies for lactation and midwifery in both high-resource and low-resource settings. Students will travel during the month of March 2026 during Penn’s Spring Break period to the Dominican Republic for an immersive learning experience.

Palermo: Empires, Migrations and Mafia

Dr. Domenic Vitiello, Urban Studies Program from Weitzman School of Design

Travel to Italy

This seminar explores the history and contemporary experiences of the peoples of Palermo, Sicily, especially its migrant communities. Historically one of the most “conquered” cities in the world and today the fifth largest city in Italy, Palermo is an important site to consider critical questions about: race and ethnicity, diversity and intercultural relations, organized crime, power and exploitation, mobility and human rights, among other issues at the intersection of migration and cities. In the first half of the semester, we will survey Palermo’s long history, with a focus on its different rulers (including the mafia), migrations, and the relationships, experiences, identities, and impacts of different peoples on the city, its social life, built environment and cultures. The class trip over spring break will include visits to and assignments exploring: 1) historic sites, museums, and neighborhoods related to the historic peoples of Palermo; and 2) contemporary migrant neighborhoods, shops, and organizations with our hosts and cultural mediators from the communities we visit. Migrant leaders long involved in city government and civil society will be our partners in this trip, helping us engage with migrant communities. In the second half of the semester, our readings, discussions, and assignment will expand our focus on the contemporary politics of immigration, inclusion, and related topics in Italy and Europe. Students will identify specific topics they wish to explore and help lead our conversations about readings and other material we choose to explore.

Paris under the German Occupation and Its Places in [Non-] Memory

Mélanie Péron, Department of Francophone, Italian, and Germanic Studies; School of Arts and Sciences

Travel to France

This seminar will aim to understand the dark historical period of WWII France through the study of the visible and invisible traces left on French memory and the Parisian landscape. The class will start by studying the conventional history of Vichy France, then turn to the writers who testified of that time, some as victims, others as witnesses or coming from the post-memory generation. Each of them has, in his or her own way, tried to find the words to fill the places of non-memory. The course will be open to French speakers and non-French speakers alike and will feature two recitation sections: one in French and one in translation. The travel component will feature visits to key sites of the German occupation and trace the lives of the key Parisian residents whose first-person accounts make up the bulk of the course readings.

Writing Health and Healing in Botswana

Dr. Sara Byala, Critical Writing Program; School of Arts and Sciences and
Dr. Rebecca Tenney-Soeiro, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia 

Travel to Botswana

Fulfills Writing Seminar Requirement. Priority will be given to first-year students, but all students (except graduating seniors) who have not yet taken a writing seminar are eligible to apply.
 
This writing seminar investigates health and healing in contemporary Botswana and will include travel to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Botswana partnerships in Gaborone. Using a case study of a hospital ward in Gaborone as its primary text, students will investigate and write white papers that speak to areas of interest to partners on the ground whom we will then visit. In collaboration with CHOP, students will learn about medical narratives and medical writing. This seminar follows the curriculum of all writing seminars, so that significant attention will be devoted to peer review and revision in the interest of producing multiple authentic genres. The course will focus on creating a set of transferable writing skills that are informed by real world writing experiences that transcend the global north/south divide.

Case Studies in Environmental Sustainability

Dr. Alain Plante, Department of Earth and Environmental Science; School of Arts and Sciences

Travel to Iceland

This course introduces students to Earth and environmental issues (understanding how humans interact with and are influenced by our environment) through analysis of several environmental cases studies, to demonstrate what goes into environmental decision-making. Students will select, research, construct, and present a case study on an environmental topic specific to Iceland. Potential case study topics within environmental sustainability can span the natural sciences, social sciences or the humanities. Case studies will be put into practice during the end-of-semester field trip through site visits with local university faculty and practitioners. 

Caves, Cathedrals, and Curiosities: Unearthing Stories on the Chemin des Dames in France

Lisa Britton, Department of Francophone, Italian, and Germanic Studies; School of Arts and Sciences

Travel to France

Embark on an immersive exploration of the Chemin des Dames, an historic road in the Aisne region of northern France. In partnership with the Kislak Center for Special Collections, students will acquire skills to engage with cultural, linguistic, and historical landscapes through a weekly consideration of curated local artifacts. The study of primary sources including letters, journals, photographs, and artistic sketches, will unearth seminal narratives from the devastation of World War I to the renewal and modernization of the post-war Reconstruction era. Students will discover the stories of young men and women – including University of Pennsylvania students – whose diverse lives were indelibly marked by their passage through this terrain. Travel in France will yield panoramic views of the entire region as students navigate the Chemin des Dames on foot, descend into ancient caves, ascend cathedral towers, and interact with otherwise inaccessible private collections. This interdisciplinary course invites students to align their academic interests with a focused area of study and pursue their research in the field by daily engagements with museum curators, historians, artists, and local figures. This will be a unique opportunity to contribute to ongoing initiatives to preserve the cultural heritage of the Chemin des Dames and rekindle Penn’s historical connections with this fascinating region of France.

Chinese Language and Culture: High Intermediate Modern Chinese II

Dr. Ye Tian and Professor Jing Hu; Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations; School of Arts and Sciences

Travel to China

This course is designed to enhance students’ proficiency in the Chinese language and to deepen their comprehension of culture, society, people, and daily life in contemporary China. It covers a wide range of topics, including China’s social and cultural issues, such as its infrastructure and manufacturing, economic reforms, ethnic minorities, population policies, aging concerns, E-commerce, and 5G technology. To foster a comprehensive learning experience, students will be partnered with language partners from institutions in China. This partnership will afford them the opportunity for online discussions with their Chinese counterparts on various facets of Chinese society and culture. Traveling to China will include meetings with their Chinese language partners at the partner institutions, exploring historical and cultural sites, museums, and exhibitions, and applying their classroom learning to real-life situations. This immersive experience will enable them to develop a profound understanding of Chinese society and enhance their intercultural competence. Students who are interested in enrolling in this seminar should have completed High Intermediate Chinese I (CHIN 0500) in the preceding fall semester or demonstrate equivalent proficiency as determined by the placement test.

Communicating Change in Mongolia

Dr. Aurora MacRae-Crerar, Critical Writing Program; School of Arts and Sciences 

Travel to Mongolia

Fulfills Writing Seminar Requirement. Priority will be given to first-year students, but all students (except graduating seniors) who have not yet taken a writing seminar are eligible to apply.

Mongolia is experiencing monumental change. This landlocked country is becoming hotter and drier faster than most other places on the planet. Along with the climate, Mongolian culture is dramatically changing. For millennia, nomadic herding across the expansive steppe has been the central way of life. Now, the country is experiencing unprecedented urbanization rates, with over half of Mongolians moving to cities within the past thirty years. Such drastic changes make Mongolia an invaluable window into the hotter, more urbanized future facing us all across the globe, including new challenges for dialogue about climate change and with the people we find ourselves in new and unprecedented proximity and kinship with. In this writing seminar, we will hone both our science communication skills and our intercultural dialogue skills across international borders in order to explore the intertwined effects of climate and culture in Mongolia and beyond. Students participate in collaborative work and dialogue with individuals, classes, and organizations outside of Penn, from Philadelphia to Ulaanbaatar.

Global Business Communication for Impact

Sara Mangat; The Wharton School 

Travel to China

Limited to Wharton students; WH 2011 satisfies the requirement for WH 2010. 

A concise email, a persuasive pitch, a strong presence in a meeting—these are the skills that shape careers. But success in the U.S. doesn’t always translate abroad. What works seamlessly in a New York boardroom may fall flat in Singapore or require a different approach in Berlin. In a world where business spans industries, borders, and cultures, the ability to adapt how we communicate is essential for influencing decisions and driving meaningful outcomes. This interactive, practice-based course equips students with foundational business communication skills that are critical in the early stages of their careers and beyond. Through case studies and simulations, students will learn how to present ideas persuasively, navigate professional hierarchies, and respond to different cultural and organizational norms. The seminar culminates in an immersive international experience, where students will apply their learning in real-world settings. Through company visits, discussions with executives, and cultural exploration, students will gain firsthand insight into how communication practices vary across industries and regions. Travel serves as a powerful mirror—challenging perspectives, revealing cultural blind spots, and strengthening the ability to lead and collaborate. By the end of the course, students will not only have a strong foundation in business communication but also the practical skills and global mindset to succeed in any professional setting—whether in the U.S. or abroad.

Pacific Worlds: Vietnam

Dr. Frederick Dickinson, Department of History; School of Arts and Sciences

Travel to Vietnam

Reflecting our increasingly diverse world and echoing scholarly attempts to move beyond the bounds of national and imperial histories, this Penn Global Seminar highlights the interaction of peoples and cultures across what may be described as the most dynamic world region of the twenty-first century. While discussions of Mediterranean, Atlantic and Indian Ocean Worlds are now commonplace, scholars have, to date, paid less attention to the idea of a Pacific World or Worlds. How useful is it to identify a “Pacific World” before and after the Age of Discovery—that is, to locate distinctive patterns of human, material and cultural exchange across the Pacific before and after the flood of European power from the fifteenth century? What has been the effect of the rise of the nation-state, modern empires, modern war and globalization? How critical are national and/or imperial legacies to enduring patterns of human interaction and exchange in the twenty-first century Pacific? As global economics, politics and culture increasingly tilt toward the Pacific, we will attempt to uncover the source of the region’s extraordinary energy. Each iteration of this Penn Global Seminar will include a travel component to a different area of the Pacific.

Sacred Stuff: Religious Bodies, Places, and Objects

Dr. Donovan Schaefer, Department of Religious Studies; School of Arts and Sciences

Travel to the United Kingdom

Does religion start with what’s in our heads? Or are religious commitments made, shaped, and strengthened by the people, places, and things around us? This course will explore how religion happens in the material world. We’ll start with classical and contemporary theories on the relationship of religion to stuff. We’ll then consider examples of how religion is animated not just by books, but through interactions with objects, spaces, bodies, monuments, color, design, architecture, and film. We’ll ask how these material expressions of religion move beyond private faith and connect religion to politics and identity. 

Tourism, Sustainability and Local Impact in Indonesia

Dr. Helen Jeoung, Critical Writing Program; School of Arts and Sciences

Travel to Indonesia

Fulfills Writing Seminar Requirement. Priority will be given to first-year students, but all students (except graduating seniors) who have not yet taken a writing seminar are eligible to apply.

In this writing seminar we focus on Indonesia as a window into the complex dynamics and impacts of tourism. Many visitors travel to Bali and other Indonesian destinations for cultural exploration, adventure tourism or beach vacations. The tourism industry supports the local economy and promotes cultural heritage, yet the booming tourism industry in Indonesia has an uneasy relationship with Balinese culture, religious traditions, and environmental sustainability. We explore these issues through readings that examine these competing forces, after which students pursue subsequent research and writing on related topics. This course includes travel to Bali at the end of the semester, where we will connect with local institutions to hear perspectives on the tourism industry. We will also visit a range of sites to view first-hand the effects of tourism on religious temples, hotels, beaches, and open-air markets.

Sustainable Development and Culture in Latin America

Dr. Teresa Giménez, Department of Spanish and Portuguese; School of Arts and Sciences

Travel to Costa Rica

This interdisciplinary course offers students an exploration of the three dimensions of sustainable development—environmental, economic, and social—within the context of Latin America.  The course integrates this analysis of sustainable development with a focus on cultural sustainability and the cultural practices associated with peyote, coca, and coffee. We delve into their rich, traditional heritage and their significance in literature, film, and the arts. Moreover, the course provides students with a unique opportunity for experiential learning through a one-week immersive experience in Costa Rica. During their time in Costa Rica, students gain a firsthand understanding of the biodiversity found within coffee fields and delve into the scientific aspects of coffee production. This immersive trip is designed to augment the course by incorporating additional experiences that broaden students’ comprehension of sustainability, particularly within the crucial tourism sector, which has a significant impact on Costa Rica’s sustainability efforts. 

Exploring Traditional Chinese Medicine – China Education Initiative

Dr. Jianghong Liu, Department of Family and Community Health; School of Nursing 

Travel to China

This course, which is supported by Penn’s China Education Initiative, introduces students to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) as a specific form of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). The course will cover introductory principles on TCM theory, common therapies, and the efficacy of this practice. The first component of the class will meet on-campus every other week through lectures, discussions, and demonstrations with Penn professors and experienced TCM practitioners. The cohort will participate in a local field trip in the Philadelphia area for clinical observation. The second part of the course will involve travel to Shanghai, China, in which there will be guest lectures by TCM professors and practitioners, clinical observations and hands on at Longhua Hospital affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, visiting Shanghai TCM university, and other immersive experiences. 

Global Business Communication for Impact

Camille Vallinino and Sara Mangat; The Wharton School 

Travel to the United Kingdom 

Limited to Wharton students; WH 2011 satisfies the requirement for WH 2010. 

This seminar is reflective of the interconnected world we live in – a world marked by geopolitical tension, rapid advancements in technology, and rising extremism. As a vibrant hub of commerce and culture, the UK occupies a unique link between our past and present, offering lessons in diversity, innovation, and resilience. The seminar combines the business communications tactics taught in WH 2010 with added context on how they can be applied to global scenarios. We’ll look at World War II London to analyze the impact of words, examining how soft skills like audience analysis, strategy, persuasion, public speaking, conflict resolution, and risk management helped save (and change) the world. For the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders, this will be an incredible opportunity to prepare for the future of work by learning the critical role communications plays in international affairs. The semester will culminate in an immersive trip to London, visiting classic landmarks, building key relationships with top industry executives and Wharton alumni, and gaining the firsthand knowledge/experience necessary to help students navigate today’s global economy.  

Global Jewish Communities

Dr. Peter Decherney, Department of Cinema and Media Studies; School of Arts and Sciences
Dr. Sara Byala, Critical Writing; School of Arts and Sciences

Travel to Uganda

This course will introduce students to emergent Jewish communities across the globe through a case study of the Abayudaya in Uganda. Students will learn about the origins of this more than one-hundred-year-old community and its recent rebirth within the context of modern Ugandan history. This course will entail a strong emphasis on writing as part of a larger effort to amplify stories from the Abayudaya community. At the same time, the course will introduce students to fieldwork and filmmaking theories and practice in preparation for a site visit to the Abayudaya in January (over winter break). During this trip, students will work in teams to create short profile films of community members. These may include religious and community leaders, physicians and nurses from the Abayudaya medical and dental clinics, Abayudaya businesspeople, and more. Strong emphasis will be placed on understanding the ethics and rigors of written and visual fieldwork, as well as the intricacies of writing and creating short films. The course output will be housed on a Penn website and YouTube channel, and the films will be shared with community members as part of the faculty’s ongoing collaboration with this community. 

Comparative Cultures of Resilience and Sustainability in the Netherlands and the United States

Dr. Simon Richter, Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures; School of Arts and Sciences

Travel to the Netherlands

Coastal cities worldwide are under increasing pressure from sea level rise and other effects of climate change. Resilience and sustainability are paradigmatic concepts for how cities address and adapt to climate change impacts. This course focuses on the cultural side of resilience and sustainability in Rotterdam and the surrounding Randstad, including Amsterdam. For comparison, we’ll also reference New Orleans, Houston, Philadelphia, and other coastal cities. In deeply uncertain times, cities such as these confront an array of interconnected choices that involve not only infrastructural solutions, but priorities, values, and cultural predispositions. Ideally, the strategies that cities devise are generated through inclusive processes based on the understanding that resilience and sustainability should be grounded in the cultural life of their communities. When this is the case, resilience and sustainability can become unique and motivating narratives about how cities and their residents co-develop the kinds of hard, soft, and social infrastructure the climate emergency requires. With this in mind, we will analyze climate action plans and resilience strategies; explore cultural histories relative to flooding events; and consult with Dutch and American experts in climate adaptation, governance, community development, and design. The highlight of the course will be travel to the Netherlands during spring break for site visits and discussions with experts.  

Cairo as Palimpsest

Dr. Fayyaz Vellani, Critical Writing; School of Arts and Sciences 

Travel to Egypt

Fulfills Writing Seminar Requirement. Priority will be given to first-year students, but all students (except graduating seniors) who have not yet taken a writing seminar are eligible to apply.
 
This first-year writing seminar provides in-depth engagement with Cairo through an examination of its cultural and geopolitical landscapes. Based on the concept of the palimpsest in urbanism, this course studies contemporary Cairo with a view to tracing the multiple layers of history which permeate the city. With more than 21 million inhabitants, Metropolitan Cairo is the most populous urban agglomeration in Africa, the most populous Arab city, and the sixth-largest city in the world by population. Founded by the Fatimid Caliphate in 969, Cairo has been a seat of power for empires including the Ayyubids, Mamluks, Ottomans, French, and British. Each of these eras has left an indelible mark on Cairo, suffusing the city with a richly cosmopolitan flavor. Greater Cairo is home to world-famous monuments including the Giza pyramid complex, the ancient city of Memphis, numerous Islamic architectural splendors, and Belle Epoque-style grand boulevards. This course examines the intersection of these various facets of Cairo, including visits to the sites, connecting the city’s cultural scene to its multi-dimensional, living history. 

Global Radiation History: Living in the Atomic Age 1945-Present

Dr. M. Susan Lindee, Department of History and Sociology of Science; School of Arts and Sciences 

Travel to Japan

In this seminar students engage with the global rise of nuclear weapons and nuclear power after 1945 with special attention to the human experience of radiation risk. We explore the stories of atomic bomb survivors, Navajo uranium miners, Marshall Islanders, scientists and physicians who studied radiation, populations affected by the Fukushima disaster and the accident at Palomares, and other groups.  Readings include novels, poetry, historical accounts and scientific reports, and we analyze these sources drawing on theories of “irresponsible purity,” agnotology, standpoint epistemology, actor networks and biological citizenship.  By considering the protracted political and ethical debate about nuclear weapons and nuclear power, and key artistic, literary and film reflections on the nuclear age, we place science, art, politics and literature in conversation, as we work to understand the impact of the atomic bombs, the rise of nuclear energy, and the continuing legacies of radiation exposure and risk today.

Perspectives in Afro-Luso-Brazilian Culture

Dr. Mercia Flannery & Dr. Carlos Pio, Department of Spanish and Portuguese; School of Arts and Sciences 

Travel to Brazil

PRTG1000 or instructor’s permission required to enroll.

This interdisciplinary survey course offered in two sections (Portuguese and English) will provide additional exposure to the language and culture of the Portuguese speaking countries (including Brazil, Portugal and its ex-colonies in Africa), and students will broaden their knowledge by complementing the classroom discussions with the experience of visiting historic and cultural sites in Minas Gerais, Brazil. This 1000-level course fulfills the following requirements: 1) advanced language course for students in the Huntsman Program in the Portuguese track, 2) the certificate or minor in LALS, and 3) the Portuguese certificate. The history of Portuguese colonization and its influence, and current discussions about contemporary challenges will be incorporated in this course as a way to familiarize students with key issues, such as the influence of African and Indigenous culture in Brazil’s language, art, culture, and racial relations in Portugal and the Portuguese ex-colonies in Africa. At the end of this course, students will recognize and discuss important themes, historical figures and cultural characteristics of the Portuguese speaking countries. 

Bicycles: The Mechanical Advantage

Dr. Dustyn Roberts, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics; School of Engineering and Applied Sciences  

Travel to the Netherlands

This interdisciplinary course combines bicycle design, engineering, and service learning to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the history, evolution, and impact of bicycles on society and the environment. Through hands-on projects, community engagement, and class discussions, students will develop bicycle design and engineering skills, gain practical experience and exposure to bicycle repair and maintenance, explore the impact of bicycles and related technologies on society and the environment, and understand the role of bicycles in sustainable urban mobility and planning. This course will also have an Academically Based Community Service (ABCS) designation through the Netter Center for Community Partnerships.  

Global Aging – Challenges and Opportunities

Dr. Iliana Kohler, Department of Sociology; School of Arts and Sciences  

Travel to Malawi

This PGS explores the multifaceted implications of the worldwide phenomenon of population aging, a defining demographic, social and economic challenge of the 21st century. Global aging stems from rapid shifts in demographic patterns, including decreasing fertility rates, improvements in health care, and increases in longevity. Often misperceived as primarily impacting high-income countries, population aging in the 21st century is a global trend that affects nations across the development spectrum. The challenges and opportunities linked to aging exhibit significant variation contingent upon the by social, economic, and cultural contexts of diverse regions and responses to this challenge need to reflect the diversity of social, economic, institutional, and epidemiological contexts around the world. For example, while achieving intergenerational equity is a common thread across the globe, many low-income countries navigate at the same time rapid population growth and rapid population aging. In contrast, middle- and high-income countries face problems like an aging workforce, increasing old-age dependency ratios and other substantial ramifications for their social welfare systems. In this PGS, students will develop a comprehensive understanding of the diverse challenges and opportunities associated with global aging. The PGS will synthesize current research findings from demography, sociology, economics, epidemiology, public health, and healthcare policies, providing students with a multidisciplinary perspective on global aging. Students will also be familiarized with available aging data resources, and the ethical aspects of research with older individuals.  

Science Accessibility in India

Dr. Aurora MacRae-Crerar, Critical Writing; School of Arts and Sciences 

Travel to India

Fulfills Writing Seminar Requirement. Priority will be given to first-year students, but all students (except graduating seniors) who have not yet taken a writing seminar are eligible to apply.

India is home to an incredible amount of diversity, from its abundant wildlife to its kaleidoscope of cultures. In the face of global warming, this dynamic country is experiencing significant change. In this writing seminar, we will hone our science communication skills across international borders in order to explore the intertwined effects of climate and culture in India and beyond. To ground the course, we will read the book Soil Not Oil: Environmental Justice in an Age of Climate Crisis by Vandana Shiva, an internationally acclaimed environmental activist. As a Penn Global Seminars course, we will travel to Navdanya, the eco-education farm Shiva founded outside the city of Dehradun, India during spring break. From her farm to the city, we will meet with a diverse range of people including organic farmers, scientists and politicians fighting for a better world in the face of climate change. Located in the foothills of the Himalayas, Dehradun is home to the Wildlife Institute of India and the Forest Research Institute, which we will also tour as part of the course. We will take the lessons learned from our visits to Navdanya Farm and other ecologically focused institutions to inform how we discuss the impacts of climate change with diverse audiences, including yoga practitioners and visually impaired high school students from the National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities, one of India’s the premier institutions promoting inclusive disability practices. 

People of the Land: Indigeneity and Politics in Argentina

Dr. Tulia Falleti, Department of Political Science; School of Arts and Sciences  

Travel to Argentina

Minimum level of SPAN1000 or equivalent level required to enroll.

This undergraduate seminar compares the evolution of relations between States and Indigenous peoples and movements throughout the Americas, with a particular focus on the Mapuche people of the Patagonia region, in the south of nowadays Argentina and Chile. The main goal of the course is to comparatively study the organization of Indigenous communities and analyze their political demands regarding pluractionality, self-determination, territory, prior consultation, living well, and intercultural education and health, as well as the different ways in which States repress, ignore, or address such demands. The course starts by reviewing what does it mean to indigenize and decolonize the academy and political science. We then focus on the controversial question of who is Indigenous and comparatively assess the legal answer to this question in different countries of the Americas. We then tackle the issue of research methodology and positionality of the researcher, the ethics of studying Indigenous peoples, and using in-depth interviews as a tool for social science research. After briefly reviewing some of the consequences of the conquest and colonialism, we study the topic of global Indigenous rights and politics and from there we zoom in the politics of Indigenous peoples in Argentina, and the Mapuche of Neuquén, in particular. In the last part of the course, including during our travel component, we delve into what are the main issues that Mapuche communities of Neuquén confront in the present: from territorial land claims to interactions with extractive industries, co-management of natural resources with the National Parks Service, intercultural education, and intercultural health, among other topics. 

Before Netflix: The Past and Present of Latin American Television

Dr. Juan Llamas-Rodriguez; Annenberg School for Communication  

Travel to Mexico

Since the mid-20th century, the telenovelas, newscasts, and variety show produced by Televisa in the capital city of Mexico have traveled across the rest of the Spanish-speaking countries in the Americas. In the first half of the course, we analyze this history by considering how technological developments, industry practices, and programming trends resonated across different countries, as well as how audiences created (or resisted) a sense of “Latin American” identity through their television consumption practices. In the second half of the course, we look at the current state of television as it has been shaped by globalization, digital media, and new social movements. In particular, we are concerned with how streaming platforms such as Netflix have (and have not) disrupted longstanding practices while introducing new ideas into the television mediascape. Course content will consist of reading economic, social, and cultural studies of television and analyzing the content of historically significant TV shows and newer original series.  

Disability Rights and Oppression: Experiences within Global Deaf Communities

Dr. Jami Fisher, Department of Linguistics; School of Arts and Sciences 

Travel to Italy

This course explores the linguistic and social statuses of global Deaf communities to understand the specific experiences of Italian deaf people and their quest for national recognition of their sign language (LIS). Topics to be explored include the following: an overview of the cultural model of being deaf; the social and historical underpinnings of deaf people’s oppression and marginalization by hearing people; social construction of deafness as disability and Deaf-as-asset (Deaf-Gain); sign language as a human right; and language policy and practice as it relates to deaf people’s access to or restriction from learning a sign language as a first language. We will use first-hand accounts via text and film to elucidate a variety of global deaf perspectives. After the conclusion of the semester, we will travel to Italy to engage with Italian Deaf community members to understand and support their efforts toward achieving parity with hearing Italians. Travel to Italy will bring the theoretical topics discussed in the semester to life via the following experiential activities: academic and social interactions with Italian Deaf community members; visits to sites important to Italian Deaf people and their history; intensive beginner LIS instruction to facilitate direct conversation with Italian Deaf community members.  No previous sign language experience is required to take this course.

Mongolian Civilization: Nomadic and Sedentary

Dr. Christopher Pratt Atwood, Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations Department; School of Arts and Sciences  

Travel to Mongolia

This course will explore how two intertwined ways of life – pastoral nomadism and settling down for religious, educational, and economic reasons – have shaped the cultural, artistic, and intellectual traditions of Mongolia. In this course, students will learn about Mongolian pastoral nomadism, and how the Mongolian economy, literature, and steppe empires were built on grass and livestock. We will also explore how Mongolians have also just as consistently used the foundations of empire to build sedentary monuments and buildings, whether funerary complexes, Buddhist monasteries, socialist boarding schools, or modern capitals. Over time, these cities have changed shape, location, and ideology, all the while remaining linked to the mobile pastoralists in the countryside. We will also explore how these traditions of mobile pastoralism and urbanism were transformed in the 20th century, by urbanization, communist ideology, and the new reality of free-market democracy, ideological pluralism, and a new mining-dependent economy. We will meet modern painters and musicians who interweave Mongolian nomadic traditions with contemporary world trends and consider the future of rural traditions in a modern world. 

European Foreign and Security Policy in Times of Crisis

Dr. Valeriya Kamenova, Department of International Relations; School of Arts and Sciences

Travel to Bulgaria

European integration has been one of the most decisive developments since the Second World War. Europe was destroyed and the main question was how to avoid a new war in Europe in the light of the Cold War. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 Europe has experienced a remarkable transformation with significant consequences for the region’s most important intergovernmental organization, the European Union. Externally, the EU has slowly been emerging as a major player on the world scene, while internally the system attempts to strike a balance between continued enlargement and further political integration. A plethora of external security challenges and shifting foreign policy dynamics confronts Europe today: migration, the Russo-Ukrainian war, disinformation and cybersecurity issues, energy security, and climate change. The course aims to provide students with the opportunity to engage in debates and scholarship on the foreign policy and security decisions facing Europe in the 21st century. Accordingly, the course will systematically look at the processes behind EU institutions and national governments in consolidating a common response to international challenges: peacekeeping missions, migrant coordination mechanisms, promotion of democracy and human rights protection, cooperation on climate change and energy security, EU-NATO relations, strategic partnerships with China and India. 

Rivalry, Competition and International Security in Northeast Asia

Dr. Tomoharu Nishino, Department of International Relations; School of Arts and Sciences  

Travel to Japan

The course will take a multi-disciplinary approach to examine the problem of international security in Northeast Asia. In the 20th century, the region was one of the most conflict-prone parts of the world. Today disputes over territory, maritime influence, and nuclear proliferation make the region potentially one of the most volatile. The region is unique in many ways: it is where the world’s three largest economies meet, it is arguably the most integrated into the global economy, and the region has long been the world’s manufacturing hub. Intra-region trade is essential to each country, while technological development is at the root of national competitiveness. At the same time, the region is uniquely primed for volatility. It is where four nuclear powers operate near each other, and the four largest and best-equipped navies of the world (US, China, Russia, and Japan) jockey for position. The course will provide the student with the theoretical tools and historical knowledge to start to understand the various forces shaping the region. The course will cover the evolution of the region over the last 150 years from a political and economic perspective and discuss the myriad challenges facing the region today. 

Policy Task Force on US-China Relations | China Education Initiative

Neysun Mahboubi, JD, Department of Philosophy, Politics and Economics; School of Arts and Sciences  

Travel to China

More than forty years after the normalization of relations between the United States and China, the relationship faces new and fundamental challenges with global implications. Designed as a policy task force, taught in coordination with a similar course to be taught at Tsinghua University in Beijing, this course will introduce students to the most pressing issues in U.S.-China relations –– including security, trade, climate, tech competition, and human rights –– and invite them to deliberate on and formulate recommendations for U.S. policy towards China. Each student will be required to complete a policy paper on some aspect of U.S.-China relations. At the end of the course, students will travel to China to meet in-person with their Chinese counterparts at Tsinghua University, and to present their policy papers and recommendations to relevant interested Chinese audiences in Beijing and Shanghai.