Cameroon: A Case Study in European Colonialisms

ATTENTION: Due to a US Department of State Travel Warning issued for Cameroon, this program has been cancelled for the Summer 2008 term.

May 23 - June 14
Service Learning Portion: June 15 - June 30

GERM489K / HONR348Z / ARHU498K

Cameroon: A Case Study in European Colonialisms is an applied and theoretical "journey" in postcolonial studies, which will begin in Cameroon's capital, Yaoundé, founded in 1888 by German traders as a base for the ivory trade.

Following in the footsteps of German, French & British colonialists and using their travel logs as guides, students will visit colonial sites, such as Lolodorf (1897) in the forested south, also home of Cameroon's indigenous pygmy population, and travel along the coastal southwest to view (and climb) lighthouses in Kribi (1906) and Cap Nachtigal (1904) at the foot of Mount Cameroon, a 13,400 ft. active volcano. Moving north and inland to the Islamic center of Foumban, students will learn about King Ibrahim Njoya, a savvy ruler who challenged German colonialists. While in Bamenda in the northwest Province of Cameroon, students will visit colonial missionary sites, local museums, palaces of traditional kings, shrines, sacred places, and special markets. Students will also meet with faculty and students at the universities in Yaoundé, Bamenda and Buea.

Cameroon is one of the safest locations in Western Africa, due to its political stability and friendly population. Travel between cities is quite easy, according to African standards, and technology and other communication networks are widespread. The country is both English and French speaking, so both students without any foreign language background and those interested in improving their French-language ability are welcome to apply to the program.

In addition to the three-week program, UM has designed a two-week service-learning project for all interested students. Students pursuing the service-learning option will earn two additional credits for their work and will have the opportunity to visit the Extreme North province of Cameroon.

Accommodations

Program participants will stay in missions, hotels and inns during the course of the traveling program. Rooms are all double occupancy.

During the service-learning portion of the program, participating students will have the opportunity to stay in homestays. Students who do not speak French will be housed with Anglophone families in Maroua.

The last day to apply for the program is March 4, 2008.