US-Mexico Border Immersion Program

January 9 - 14, 2012

PJS 594 or PJS 494 – The US-Mexico Border Immersion course offers one unit of credit in Peace and Justice Studies at the graduate (PJS 594) or upper division undergraduate (PJS 494) levels.  It is coordinated jointly with the Franciscan School of Theology (FST) in Berkeley, CA and is held over the course of one week during the January intersession.  The interdisciplinary nature of the course addresses political, economic, social, and theological perspectives on the border and bilateral relationship between the United States and Mexico, providing students with a diverse educational experience.  The course combines seminar lectures and various site visits to relevant destinations on the US-Mexico border in the San Diego/Tijuana binational region.   Site visits typically include the border fence, a maquiladora, the Casa del Migrante, the Centro Cultural de Tijuana, and the US Border Patrol, among others.

Course Description

Borderlands are more than geographical landscapes. They are social, cultural and economic landscapes as well, a mezcla (mixture) of cultural difference and opportunity, social inequality and socioeconomic marginality. In this complex social space, there is elevated concern with trade in goods and flows of people. Movements of people and goods are greatly regulated, emotionally discussed, and frequently hidden. In this course, students will learn about and experience to some extent life on both sides of the San Diego-Tijuana border through seminars, site visits, and reflection. Special emphasis will be given to immigration issues pertinent to the Mexico-US border, with critical consideration of sources of immigration: economic volatility (including peso devaluation, declines in real wages, & fluctuating unemployment) and political instability (including political gridlock and the rise in social violence).  Embedded within these discussions are theological perspectives on migration. Our educational method includes reflection on one’s personal history of being a “stranger,” prayer that roots the exploration in Scriptural values and Catholic Social teaching, field trips that offer exposure to life on both sides of the border, input from people with particular expertise on the topic, dialogue, and commitment to concrete action that might ensue from participation in the program.

Course Goals

We envision this class as a forum for sharing experiences, trying out new ideas, cultivating our capacities for self self-knowledge and integrating diverse ways of understanding. This approach to adult learning will not only support our acquisition of knowledge, but provides a setting for immediate experience, reflection, and integration.

Learning Objectives

• To understand the complexity of identity and opportunity at the US-Mexico border through an applied field experience and diverse perspectives on (in US-Mexico) border issues.

• To enhance awareness of community, national, and binational needs and concerns regarding immigration and other border and bilateral issues.

• Through principles of conflict resolution, spirituality, social justice, and human rights, to integrate or seek to reconcile the diversity of views that will be presented.

• To become more sensitive to the reality of personal borders and enhance our capacity to meet the “stranger.”

Costs

The full cost of the program is $1,380 ($200 tuition + $1,180 program fee) to be billed upon submission of the online application.

Application Process

Deadline: November 1, 2011

1. Submit the online application by November 1, 2011:

http://tiny.cc/BorderImmersion

2. Submit the Agreement and Release Form to TBI no later than November 1, 2011. You may submit the form by fax, mail, PDF scanned email, or in person.

Agreement and Release Form

3. Submit a copy of your passport and US visa (if applicable). You may submit the copies by fax, mail, PDF scanned email, or in person.

*Non-USD graduate students: In addition to the online application, non-USD graduate students must fill out the Special Student Application and send the completed form to the Trans-Border Institute.

Non-USD upper division undergraduate students: In addition to the online application, non-USD upper division undergraduate students must send a copy of your transcript to transborder@sandiego.edu.

For more information contact:

Trans-Border Institute, KIPJ 238
University of San Diego
5998 Alcalá Park
San Diego, CA 92110
Phone: (619) 260-4090
E-mail: transborder@sandiego.edu