Location

San Salvador, Suchitoto, El Salvador

Program Description

Information Session

October 24, 2024 from 12:00- 1:30pm on Zoom, Passcode: 176705

Why do war-to-peace transitions that appeared so promising often yield less than desirable outcomes in terms of socioeconomic development, democracy, and human rights? This is the central question that the El Salvador: Democracy and Human Rights under Duress study abroad program will address.

During the three weeks of this experiential learning, we will examine those factors leading to El Salvador’s civil war, the catastrophic outcomes of those years, the eventual war-to-peace transition, the exemplary grassroots organizing that took root in the different communities, and the complex interplay between security, socioeconomic development, and human rights that threaten El Salvador’s democracy today. We will meet with community leaders, heads of NGOs, students, women, other activists, and many others who will help us better understand El Salvador’s history and its current political reality. We will travel and volunteer in different communities, and we will also explore the region by hiking in ecological parks, swimming in waterfalls, and visiting Mayan ruins.

Interested students will also have the opportunity to study Spanish.

Location Description

As part of the El Salvador: Democracy and Human Rights study abroad, we will travel throughout the country.

We will travel and volunteer in different communities, and at times spend the night in these communities. We will also explore the region by hiking in ecological parks, swimming in waterfalls, and visiting Mayan ruins.

Our trip will also include a two day excursion to Honduras to visit the Mayan ruins of Coban. 

Director

Manal A. Jamal | jamalma@jmu.edu | Political Science

Accommodations

We will be staying in a guest house in San Salvador. Two to three students will be sharing a room. The guest house will be centrally located, though because due to security precautions in place, we do not encourage students to wander alone around San Salvador. Students might participate in home stays for a few days over the course of the program.

Most meals will be provided by the program. Students might be responsible for a few lunches during excursions.

Additional Items to Consider

We continue to monitor the security situation in El Salvador, and throughout the trip we will follow the recommendations of CIS. And to be on the safe side, we will only travel as a group. A curfew will be in effect in the evening.

Students will be advised to not bring valuables with them on this trip, and to also be careful about displaying expensive items, such as jewelery etc.

Some vaccinations are required. The courses or boosters advised include Hepatitis A and B and tetanus. Other vaccines to consider: Diphtheria; Rabies; Typhoid.

Applicant Criteria

Applicants must have a GPA minimum of 2.0.

Open to sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate students in all majors.

Spanish not required, but recommended and will be useful.