GBL2355 Connecting through Storytelling: Oral (Hi)stories of Patagonia and the Atacama.

This WT study-abroad course immerses students in the rich cultural heritage of indigenous communities and peoples of Chile and Argentina through the power of storytelling. Students will delve into the oral traditions, literary works, and narrative expressions that capture the lived experiences and identity of the indigenous communities in Chile and Argentina. Through engaging with indigenous storytellers, and reading works of literature from these regions, students will analyze how storytelling practices have shaped the identities and experiences of the indigenous peoples in these remarkable landscapes and develop a nuanced understanding of the social, environmental, and historical realities faced by these communities.

Credits

4 sh

Prerequisite

GBL 1355

Course Types

Civilization

Offered

• Winter

Learning Outcomes

1. Global Education Goals and Student Learning Outcomes
   
   • GEC Goal #6: Understand the multiple dimensions of human experience within and across cultures and environments
   
   This will be a core focus, and hence a core goal, of the course as students dive into the diverse cultural narratives and lived experiences of indigenous communities in Patagonia, the Atacama Desert, and the Iguazu Falls regions. By engaging with oral histories, literary works, and first-hand accounts, students will develop a multifaceted understanding of how factors like geography, history, spirituality, and sociopolitical realities shape the human experience within these distinct environments.
   
   Through activities like storytelling circles and reflective discussions, students will explore the narratives and the cultural identities, worldviews, and environmental relationships of the indigenous peoples. This will foster a nuanced appreciation for the varied dimensions of human life and social dynamics across these regions.
   
   Student Learning Outcomes related to GEC Goal #6:
   
   1. Students will demonstrate a nuanced understanding of the diverse indigenous cultures, traditions, and ways of life in the Patagonian and the Atacaman regions (assessed through course engagement, student-led discussions, and final project).
   
   2. Students will analyze and articulate how geography, history, spirituality, and sociopolitical factors shape the lived experiences of indigenous communities in these distinct environments (assessed through student-led discussions, individual reflection paper, and final project)
   
   • GEC Goal #8: Examine one’s responsibilities as an active global citizen informed by multiple cultural perspectives
   
   This goal will be addressed as students uncover the complex realities and challenges faced by the indigenous communities highlighted in the course. Through reflective discussions, writing and the final project students will be encouraged to think on their roles and responsibilities as global citizens. The narratives and personal accounts they encounter during storytelling circles will shed light on issues of social justice, environmental stewardship, and the enduring impacts of colonialism. By engaging with these diverse cultural perspectives through reflective discussions and individual and group-based research, students will be prompted to critically examine their own assumptions, biases, and positionality within the global context. This will empower them to develop a more informed, empathetic, and ethically grounded sense of global citizenship, inspired by the narratives and lived experiences they've explored.
   
   Student Learning Outcomes Related to GEC Goal #8:
   
   1.Students will critically reflect on their own cultural assumptions and biases, demonstrating how these perceptions have been challenged or altered through direct engagement with indigenous communities (assessed through student-led discussions, storytelling circles, final reflection paper and final project)
   
   2. Students will articulate and analyze the complex challenges faced by indigenous communities, including issues of social justice, environmental stewardship, and the enduring impacts of colonialism, based on firsthand observations and interactions (assessed through student-led discussions, storytelling circles, final reflection paper and final project).
   
   3. Students will develop and express a well-informed, empathetic understanding of their roles and responsibilities as global citizens, shaped by the diverse cultural perspectives encountered during the course (assessed through final reflection paper and final project).