
Program Components
Comparative Religion
Examine Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism and Christianity, as well as Animist and Shamanistic traditions, with a focus on religious pluralism, rituals and festivals/ceremonies, religious conflict and resolution.
Development Studies
Explore the impacts of modernization and development as they relate to ecology and land-use within protected and un-protected areas. Delve into issues of political marginalization and under-representation, participatory development vs. non-participatory development, and conservation: both ecological and cultural.
Focus Of Inquiry
Study ancient, imperial, and modern politics and the development of market economy; gender and race studies; cultural and environmental preservation; marginalized and dominant cultural communities.
Homestay
Experience life in three unique communities in an urban, mountainous and oceanic setting to an gain a real understanding of the rich cultural diversity that exists within Indonesia.
Independent Study Project (ISP)
Choose a craft or topic of interest to delve into while in Jogya. Past student have choses arts such as: gamelan, shadow-puppetry, silversmithing, street art, martial arts, cooking, and dance; while academic subjects have included: gender, migration, ethnic minority groups, illegal wildlife trade etc. Pursue self-selected studies of issues that are pertinent to the communities we visit.
Language Study
Learn Bahasa Indonesian (as well as some Javanese) through formal introductory lessons (10 hours per week) while in Jogya. Dive into language immersion throughout the course with homestay families.
Learning Service
Focus on community service assisting families as directed/needed during homestays.
Rugged Travel
Travel by plane, public bus, truck, ferry, minivans and other watercraft. Sleep on bamboo mats on the floor in some homestays, sleep under the stars on beaches and experience group camping in jungle settings.
Trekking
Easy to moderate day hikes and multi-day hikes (weather depending) through rice paddies fields and on jungle trails, short treks in the jungles of Flores on narrow footpaths to hot springs and around extinct volcanoes.