"My humanities research focused on the Maroons of Jamaica. After conducting my research onshore, I was able to meet with the very community I had been writing about. Never before had I felt such an honest connection to my academics."
Giles Holt
Rhode Island School of Design
Liberal Arts Major
SEA Semester: Colonization to Conservation in the Caribbean
What Is It?
An environmental studies and humanities intensive semester focused on understanding 500 years of environmental, political, and social change throughout the diverse islands of the Caribbean region. Formerly titled Documenting Change in the Caribbean (read about the name change here).
When Is It?
Fall 2012: Space Available
October 9, 2012 – January 2, 2013
Who Should Apply?
Colonization to Conservation in the Caribbean (CCC) attracts students who want to understand environmental, political, and social change from an interdisciplinary perspective and in an historical context. This writing-intensive semester draws students from majors as diverse as environmental studies, marine biology, anthropology, and English. It is an especially good fit for International Studies or Comparative Studies majors given the focus on a variety of Caribbean nations & cultures. Limited to 24 students per cruise.
SEA Semester operates on a rolling admissions basis, so there are no application deadlines. Students are accepted on a case-by-case basis until the program is full.
Program Description
The Caribbean Islands have seen enormous changes in the last five centuries. Europeans brought devastating diseases that decimated native populations, and transported millions of enslaved Africans to the islands to work plantations of newly introduced crops. Early naturalists described amazing new species of plants and animals even as they were being exterminated and replaced. Today, this region bears little resemblance to the islands encountered by Christopher Columbus. As a tourist destination in the 21st century, the Caribbean continues to change as new demands are placed on limited resources. In this semester, we explore how we can document these changes using the source materials and methodological approaches of both the humanities and sciences.
On Shore in Woods Hole
During the six-week shore component students take two concurrent classes, team-taught by SEA faculty. Maritime History and Culture explores political, cultural, and demographic changes in the Caribbean from the arrival of Europeans to the present. Marine Environmental History uses both scientific and historical evidence to develop an ecological timeline for the Caribbean. Students examine the marine and terrestrial resources that drove European expansion, and track the impact of introduced species, human development, and pollution on coastal ecosystems. Students will approach both courses from the perspectives of science, maritime studies, and navigation.
At Sea in the Caribbean
Aboard the SSV Corwith Cramer, students study the environmental consequences of over 500 years of change and human development in the Caribbean region. They conduct sampling surveys of the area's biology, geology, chemistry, and physics using state-of-the-art equipment and laboratory facilities. They also apply their nautical science skills to operate and navigate the vessel as a member of the crew. Port stops in a variety of Caribbean islands such as Cuba, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic encourage students to explore this diverse region.
Special Program Features
The nations throughout the Caribbean Sea provide a dynamic model for comparison. During the shore component in Woods Hole, students develop original and wide-ranging research plans closely guided by faculty to prepare for their travel abroad. This research prepares students to observe and document changes they will find during the port stops, and to compare the current Caribbean environment with what scientists and mariners observed in the past.
During the sea component, students will come face to face with the environmental consequences of over 500 years of change and human development while visiting several islands rooted in diverse colonial legacies. They will examine present-day conditions of fisheries and water quality, as well as ecosystem health, diversity, and response to climate change. While on shore during two to three port stops, students will conduct their research while engaging with Caribbean peoples, culture and the physical environment.
Taking a comparative approach as eyewitnesses, students are encouraged to make observations and connections linking complex colonial pasts with the contemporary challenges and opportunities facing developing nations in a globalized world.
Colonization to Conservation in the Caribbean | Video Blog
Click here for several more videos from the Fall 2011 CCC program!
Colonization to Conservation in the Caribbean Photo Gallery
Click images to view full gallery (25 photos)
Course Descriptions
Maritime History and Culture, CAS NS 322 (4 credits)
This course explores social, political, cultural, and demographic changes in the Caribbean from the arrival of Columbus to the present. It examines the technology that underpinned European colonization, the impact of the transportation of enslaved African labor, the rise of independence movements in the region, and the challenges and opportunities that face Caribbean nations in the twenty-first century.
Marine Environmental History, CAS NS 323 (4 credits)
In this course, students trace the role of ships and sailors as the agents of environmental, social, and economic change. Using both scientific and historical evidence to develop a timeline of ecological change, students examine the marine resources that drove European expansion in the Caribbean and the impact of introduced species, human development, and pollution on the ecosystems of coastal areas.
Nautical Science, CAS NS 223 (3 credits)
Nautical Science teaches the practical skills and theoretical background necessary to safely operate a tall ship on the high seas. Students learn and apply essential concepts in general physics, astronomy, and meteorology. During the sea component, students apply these concepts while acting as active and increasingly responsible members of the ship's crew, working toward the ultimate role of Junior Watch Officer.
Oceanography, CAS NS 221 (3 credits)
This oceanography course provides students with the scientific foundation needed to use scientific equipment and instruments onboard the ship to investigate the planet's oceans. As they learn about modern ocean studies and technological advances in instrumentation, students develop proposals for original research projects to be carried out at sea.
Practical Oceanographic Research, CAS NS 224 (3 credits)
Students conduct sampling surveys of the Caribbean using state-of-the-art equipment and laboratory facilities onboard the ship. Students collaborate on group projects in the oceanography of the cruise track, using the full scientific capabilities of the research vessel.
Request Information
Download a brochure or request a catalog for more information about SEA Semester: Colonization to Conservation in the Caribbean.