Southwest Field Studies:


Initiated in 1974, Southwest Field Studies (SWFS) is a semester program that combines interdisciplinary academic inquiry with outdoor skills and experiences. With an emphasis on Environmental Anthropology, the 2004 program will explore the complex interactions between culture and environment using the vast and diverse Sonoran Desert as our primary laboratory and classroom.

The Setting:

SWFS takes place in and around the vast Colorado River Watershed with significant time spent exploring the backcountry. The 2004 course will involve extended stays at the following sites:

The Classes

Students receive 16 semester hours of credit for completing the four courses below. Field observations, journaling, interviews, service learning, readings, discussions, and group projects form the foundation of the programs’ interdisciplinary, experiential approach.

Natural History of the Sonoran Desert

This course offers an overview of the botany, zoology, and geology of the thousands of square miles and thousands of vertical feet that make up this diverse desert ecosystem. The program will travel through hot, arid desert, semiarid forest, and frigid subalpine zones. The diversity of habitats and geography makes it a rich area for scientific observation and study.

Environmental Issues of the Southwest

Using water as a focusing element, Environmental Issues of the Southwest will examine the complex interactions between culture and environment from political, historical, and sociological perspectives. Through the study of riparian restoration, water rights, conservation issues, and environmental ethics, students will discover how one cannot study environmental issues without simultaneously studying culture.

Outdoor Education

This course involves the mastery of wilderness skills in addition to the theory and practice of outdoor education. Emphasis will be placed on the unique educational and theoretical aspects of outdoor education in a practical, experiential context. Students will teach classes, facilitate daily activities, and take responsibility for program logistics. Planned trips include rock climbing, sea kayaking, backpacking, and river canoeing.

Cultures of the Southwest

Using two distinct homestays (The Seri of coastal northwestern Mexico and the border culture in Nogales), Cultures of the Southwest will explore the people of the region using the unique lens of environmental anthropology. Particular focus will be placed on examining indigenous conservation practices and understanding how modern environmental constraints are linked to cultural models of resource management and usage.

Course Leadership

Marie Nicholson, B.A. Biology, Earlham College
James Sterrett, B.A. Geology, Earlham College
Visiting faculty and local experts will also be utilized to provide further instruction and new perspectives.

Participants

SWFS is particularly appropriate for students with interests in Environmental Issues, Outdoor Education, and the Natural/Environmental Sciences. Most participants are in their second or third year of college. Spanish language skills and prior backcountry experience are assets but not required. Students come from colleges and universities throughout the United States.

Applications

Applications are on a rolling admissions basis through March 15th, 2002. Subsequent applications are considered as received. Contact the Wilderness office for application procedures and additional information.

Fees

The program fee, equal to Earlham College’s semester charges, covers all instruction, room and board, equipment, and transportation. A non-refundable deposit will be required upon acceptance. A limited amount of financial aid is available to qualified applicants. Fees are finalized in March for the following year.

Dates

January 5th-May 5th, 2004 (approximate)



Earlham College is a four year liberal arts college founded in 1847 by the Society of Friends (Quakers). It has received national recognition for the overall quality of its academic program (Carnegie Foundation) and teaching excellence (US News and World Report, 1995). Earlham is a member of the Great Lakes College Association (GLCA).

Contact Us:

Wilderness Programs
801 National Road West, Drawer 87
Richmond, IN 47374
phone:(765) 983-1327; fax: (765) 983-1207
Wilderness@earlham.edu