SWOCC release – To offer study abroad opportunity in Istanbul, Turkey – COOS BAY, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College is partnering with Bosporus International to offer a study abroad opportunity in Istanbul, Turkey from July 16-30, 2019. The program, “Confronting Global Problems and Creating Sustainable Futures,” provides international perspectives on three critical social and ecological topics: work and livelihood, sustainable food systems, and the politics of consumption and waste. The program employs an experiential approach to learning, combining classroom-based instruction with site visits throughout Istanbul. Students participate in lectures and seminars around each of the core topics, followed by site visits to local farms, farmers markets, and employee cooperatives to allow for a deeper understanding of how the topics are experienced in people’s everyday lives. This approach grounds abstract concepts in concrete experiences and provides students with practical tools they can use to study similar topics in their own communities. The course will be co-taught by sociologists Dr. Sara Keene and Dr. Ian Bailey (Southwestern Oregon Community College), Dr. Carrie Freshour (Delta State University, Mississippi), and Dr. Evren Dincer (Bursa Uludag University, Turkey). In addition to the academic instruction and activities, two day-long, professionally-guided trips to historic landmarks including the Hagia Sophia Museum, the Blue Mosque, and the Grand Bazaar are also included in the program. Students will need to register for the program through Bosporus International (www.bosporusint.com), and enroll in the summer course, SOC 250: Field Studies in Sociology, through Southwestern Oregon Community College. Students will also need to obtain a travel visa and travel insurance before departure. Any community members, businesses, and/or organizations interested in participating in the program or sponsoring a student from our community to participate in the program are encouraged to contact Dr. Sara Keene, Assistant Professor of Anthropology/Sociology, by phone at (541) 888-7127 or email, sara.keene@socc.edu. For more information about the program, please visit www.bosporusint.com or contact Sara Keene.
