A group of 15 students will spend their spring break on the Caribbean island of Martinique — not as tourists, but as part of an interdisciplinary trip exploring the historic, linguistic, cultural, and environmental features of the island nation.
The trip was started last year as a means of exposing students studying French in the Department of Romance Languages and Literature to the diverse historical, linguistic, and cultural aspects of the Créole French island. This year the program has expanded to include students from the Environmental Studies and Africana and Latin American Studies Programs. The inclusion of diverse academic interests on the trip aims to grant all participants new perspectives on their experiences.
The excursion is designed to accomplish the following goals:
- Educate students about the history of the French presence in the Caribbean by studying the history of colonization and slavery in Martinique
- Explore the evolution of language and identity in the Caribbean Diaspora
- Expose students to perspectives and lifestyles different from their own
- Examine the intangible environmental and cultural heritage of Martinique and its people
The trip is led by professors Mahadevi Ramakrishnan of the Romance Languages and Literature department and April Baptiste of the Environmental Studies Program.
Students will document their experiences and lessons on the blog Martinique 2012.
The trip is supported by the Center for Learning, Teaching, and Research; the Department of Romance Languages and Literature; Core Scientific Perspectives; the Environmental Studies Program; the Africana and Latin American Studies Program; the Division of University Studies; the Division of Humanities; the Dean of the College; and the Dean of Faculty’s Beyond Colgate program.