Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Town, South Africa

The Culture of Race, Resistance & Revolution in South Africa, Then & Now

Cape Town, South Africa

Winter 2023: January 13-23*

PROGRAM POSTPONED


Cape Town, South Africa
January 2017

Click here (pdf) for program flyer

*Dates subject to change.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: 

South Africa cannot be understood without being experienced, and it cannot be studied merely in a classroom. This course is thus a journey, including visits to vital Cape Town landmarks and meetings with powerful people in the contemporary cultural and political spheres. It is not merely a course about history and the past; it is about living and breathing South Africa today, in all its vibrant complexity.

Program highlights include daily trips to profound historical locales, dialogue with cultural influencers and history-makers, and— most critically—time engaging with incarcerated individuals inside two storied Cape Town prisons that have played a vital role in the South African struggle since the Apartheid era. Throughout, we connect the revolutionary ideas of yesterday with those of South Africa today.

Students from all majors are encouraged to apply.

FACULTY DIRECTOR:

Professor Dreisinger earned her Ph.D. in English from Columbia University, where she specialized in American and African-American studies. Her book Near Black: White-to-Black Passing in American Culture (University of Massachusetts Press, 2008) was featured in the New York Times Book Review and on National Public Radio. She is the founder and Academic Director of John Jay's Prison-to-College Pipeline program, which offers college courses and reentry planning to incarcerated men at Otisville Correctional Facility, and broadly works to increase access to higher education for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals. Professor Dreisinger moonlights as a journalist and critic, writing about Caribbean culture, race-related issues, travel, music and pop culture for such outlets as the New York Times, Los Angeles Times and Wall Street Journal, and producing on-air segments about music and global culture for National Public Radio (NPR). Together with Oscar-nominated filmmaker Peter Spirer, Professor Dreisinger produced and wrote the documentaries Black & Blue: Legends of the Hip-Hop Cop, which investigates the New York Police Department’s monitoring of the hip-hop industry, and Rhyme & Punishment, about hip-hop and the prison industrial complex. Professor Dreisinger's book Incarceration Nations: A Journey to Justice in Prisons Around the World was published in Febraury, 2016.

INFORMATION SESSIONS:

Information sessions will be held from 1:40pm-2:55pm (community hour), via Zoom

 

 

 

UNDERGRADUATE COURSE:

The Culture of Race, Resistance & Revolution (3 credits): This course provides students with a deeper understanding and appreciation of the key issues facing South Africa, then and now, as related to three things that have shaped the nation: race, resistance and revolution. Starting with pre-colonial South Africa and lingering in the contemporary cultural sphere, we look to understand the “why” and “how” of South Africa’s recent history, and the deep roots of debates in the country up to the present day. Our aim is to get a handle on South African culture beyond the too-simple Mandela-as-savior veneer, with an emphasis on the “born-free”/post-Apartheid generation and the country’s present-day criminal justice crisis. Students will explore South African culture through an interdisciplinary lens, considering literature, film, memoir, music, journalism, pop culture, primary and secondary historical sources and criminal justice texts.   

Click here (pdf) for course syllabus.

PREREQUISITES:
  1. 3.0 GPA
  2. ENG 101 & ENG 201

                                                                                            

PROGRAM NOTES:
  • Housing: Students will stay in double-occupancy dormitory accommodations at University of Cape Town.
  • Fluctuating exchange rates and other fees may lead to program cost changes.
  • Program cost is based on a minimum number of participants for the program.
  • Students should discuss applicability of financial aid with the Financial Aid office.
  • All CUNY students must meet with their study abroad advisor to be sure the proper e-Permit registration process is followed.
  • All non-CUNY students are encouraged to apply early, to be sure there is ample time to apply and register for classes at John Jay College. Please contact OISP for more information regarding the application process. Please note: Tuition rate per credit is different for non-CUNY students. More tuition information can be found here: http://www.jjay.cuny.edu/undergraduate-tuition-fees  

    Photo by:Stephanie Horta
    Cape Town, South Africa
    January 2017

  • Refund Policy: Payment of the program deposit indicates the student understands and agrees to the Office of International Studies & Program’s payment and refund policies.  Students who withdraw from a John Jay College program after confirming participation, but before the program begins, will lose the non-refundable deposit and any unrecoverable costs: students will be refunded 50 percent of program fees 30 days prior to the program start date, and 25 percent of program fees 14 days prior to the program start date. After the start of the program, no refunds will be provided, and the student is responsible for all program fees. If the program fee is not paid in full, there will be a hold placed on her/his CUNYfirst account.
  • For faculty-led programs, tuition refunds will be granted following the College’s policies.  For more information, please visit: http://www.jjay.cuny.edu/understading-your-financial-obligation.
  • College-based funders retain the right to recoup funds from the student account if the student does not follow rules of the CUNY Travel Waiver & Release Form, uses the funds for other purposes, or withdraws from the program. Students must understand that they are responsible for full payment of the amount owed to the department.
  • The Office of International Studies and Programs (OISP) has the right to modify or cancel the program, including  changes to the program dates, costs, scheduled visits, program itinerary, etc., as dictated by economic and/or political situations, etc.
  • Students are responsible for purchasing their own airfare, and for their itinerary. Due to possible changes in program dates/itinerary information, students are not to purchase airfare until prompted by OISP.
  • Students are encouraged to apply early, due to limited space.
  • Information is tentative, and subject to change*, **program cost(s), syllabi, *dates, etc.

 

HEALTH INFORMATION FOR TRAVELERS TO CAPE TOWN:
It is important to be aware of the health information provided by the US Center for Disease Control and
Prevention. All vaccines should be up to date, and it is important to check the vaccines and medicines list and
visit your doctor (ideally, 4-6 weeks) before your trip to get vaccines or medicines you may need. Ask your
doctor what vaccines and medicines you need based on where you are going, how long you are staying, what you
will be doing, and if you are traveling from a country other than the US. 
 
More information can be found on the Center for Disease Control website.

 

Please note that all travelers:

Should be up to date on routine vaccinations while traveling to any destination. Some vaccines may also be required for travel.

Routine vaccines

Make sure you are up-to-date on routine vaccines before every trip. These vaccines include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine, and your yearly flu shot.

get_vaccinated hygiene

Please note that most travelers:

Get travel vaccines and medicines because there is a risk of these diseases in the country you are visiting.

Hepatitis A

CDC recommends this vaccine because you can get hepatitis A through contaminated food or water in Mexico, regardless of where you are eating or staying.

get_vaccinated eat_drink

Typhoid

You can get typhoid through contaminated food or water in Mexico. CDC recommends this vaccine for most travelers, especially if you are staying with friends or relatives, visiting smaller cities or rural areas, or if you are an adventurous eater.

 

APPLICATION & DEADLINE:

Applications are available from the Office of International Studies & Programs (Haaren Hall, Suite 530). Applications can also be found here.

Application Deadline: Wednesday, October 26th

However, qualified applicants will be admitted on a rolling basis until places are filled. Thus, due to limited places, students are encouraged to apply early.

Please note: An application fee of $50.00 is due at the time of application. Money orders, personal checks and cash are accepted. Applications will not be accepted if incomplete. More information can be found here.

All non-CUNY students will need to pay an additional $65.00 at time of application due to a non-degree application fee. 

PROGRAM COST:

 

Estimated Program Fee: $2,500.00

**Subject to change. Includes double occupancy accommodations, international health insurance, excursions and transportation associated with program, and various University of Cape Town (UCT) amenities. Does not include tuition, airfare, most meals, textbooks, personal expenses, personal excursions and transportation, etc.

John Jay College Tuition and Fees
Undergraduate Tuition and Fees

FINANCIAL AID & SCHOLARSHIPS:

Students should make an appointment with the Financial Aid Office, at their home College, to discuss the applicability of their financial aid to this program. 

Inquire at the Office of International Studies & Programs regarding scholarship information. If you are a JJC student, you can apply for the John Jay Study Abroad Scholarships (JJSAS) and the Student Travel Fund, among other JJC-sponsored scholarships. For more on scholarship opportunities click here. U.S.-wide scholarship opportunites can be found here.

JJC students can contact Michael Scaduto for more information regarding the JJSAS, and general scholarship opportunities, at 212-237-8872 or email at mscaduto@jjay.cuny.edu.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Prof. Baz Dreisinger, Department of English (Academic Inquiries)
bdreisinger@jjay.cuny.edu

Ken Yanes, Dep. Director
212-484-1339, kyanes@jjay.cuny.edu

Daniel Braslavsky, Study Abroad Coordinator
212-887-6105, dbraslavsky@jjay.cuny.edu

studyabroad@jjay.cuny.edu
212-484-1390 

Office Location & Mailing Address:
Office of International Studies & Programs
John Jay College, CUNY
524 West 59th Street
Haaren Hall, Suite 530
New York, NY 10019 USA