Location:

Sydney, Australia

Program Type:

Study Abroad

Degree Level:

Undergraduate

Term:

Summer

Program Overview

Program Description:

Australia has a beautiful and arid landscape, and unique plants and animals that defied the comprehension of early European observers. But Australian Aborigines, representing the longest continuous cultural tradition in the world, adapted to the unique conditions across Australia over some 40�60,000 years, developing technologies, religion and lifeways completely tied to the land. Two hundred years of colonization and more recent processes of urbanization and globalization have brought massive environmental, social and political changes to the continent with critical implications for its future sustainability.

May 26th - June 17th, 2012. This 6-credit-hour traveling program is based in eastern Australia, and we spend 22 days exploring the cities, coasts and the outback of this remarkable country. Our program begins in the wonderful city of Sydney. Then we transfer to the more tropical climes of Brisbane and Queensland, visiting the Gold and Sunshine Coasts, rainforests and the stunning and stark outback. We spend most of our time in experiential activities out of the classroom, exploring case studies in this fascinating country first-hand.

Developed as a collaboration between ASU's School of Human Evolution and Social Change and School of Sustainability, this transdisciplinary program draws on a very wide range of fields (such as anthropology, geography, archaeology, political science, ecology, biology, recreation management, sustainability, urban studies and agriculture) to explore human dimensions of sustainability�past, present and future.The program is suitable for undergraduate students at any level, as no specific background in any of these fields in assumed.