Truman in Cape Town 2013: April 2013

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Preparing for a new adventure!

On May 14, sixteen Truman students will leave Chicago for Cape Town, South Africa, and the excitement is building! We have spent the last semester reading about and discussing South Africa's history, politics, economy, race, class and gender inequalities, and human rights struggles. We have learned a few Xhosa and Afrikaans greetings, and begun work on research projects relevant to our internship placements. As soon as final exams are over, we will embark on our South African adventure!

Democracy and Human Rights in South Africa

The purpose of this study abroad program is to give students an opportunity to live and work in one of most beautiful cities in the world while studying the multiple concerns facing South Africa, as it strives to become a progressive, modern democracy. The heart of the program will be an internship opportunity that will immerse students in the living history of South Africa by directly involving them with institutions that are wrestling with South Africa’s troubled past and helping to create a democratic civil society. We plan to spend five weeks in Capetown, South Africa, and during that time our group of 16 students from Truman State University in Kirksville, MO will work for 20 days with a non-governmental agency whose mission is to address issues of human rights and social justice, especially with regard to women, children, workers, and the environment. The other days will be spent visiting museums and historical sites, hearing lectures on contemporary political and economic issues in South Africa, and enjoying the beauty and friendliness of Cape Town.