Global College

Field Course in El Salvador

Sport, Development, and Peace

May 12-26, 2012

Sports, Development, and Peace Spring 2012
Join Vice President Academic Dr. John Corlett for two weeks in El Salvador exploring child and youth development in an environment of violence, economic struggle, and gang culture. Students from Brock University will also participate in the field course.


Latin America is a fascinating and important Canadian neighbour in the Western Hemisphere. El Salvador is Latin America's smallest and most densely populated country and provides an incredible exposure to Spanish language and tradition combined with strong and ancient indigenous cultures. This field course offers a chance to explore the reality of key concepts such as justice, freedom, human rights, democracy, wealth, poverty, and national development in an environment vastly different from the North American context in which most Canadians live.


The course focuses on projects using physical education activities to improve school and culture and counter social problems. To provide a broader context for this work, the field course will also incorporate a variety of activities and topics related to human rights, such as:


  • The colonial history of El Salvador as seen in Suchitoto
  • The assassination of Archbishop Romero and its significance to Salvadoran politics and social justice
  • The school system in El Salvador and the importance of education for values and life skills
  • The Canadian presence in El Salvador as discussed with Canadian embassy diplomatic staff
Enrollment is limited to 8 UWinnipeg Students, with an application deadline for applications of November 4, 2011.

**Students who are accepted will be required to complete a 1.5 credit hour reading course with Dr. Corlett in the Winter 2012 term.

COST: Estimated at $1750 CDN (for airfare, lodging, meals), plus tuition fees for the two courses below:
Winter 2012:

HRGS-2650 (1.5) Special Topics - Readings in Sport, Development, and Peace
This reading course serves as prerequisite for a 2-week field course taught in El Salvador in the Spring 2012 Term. In this post-conflict Central American nation, the bloody civil war continues to exert a powerful influence on social, economic, and political development two decades after the war ended. Int his course, students do background reading on El Salvador and on perspectives of child and youth development in environments marked by violence and poverty. Particular attention will be paid to the role of education and recreation in changing values and life skills as a means of promoting a more peaceful society. Contact Global College for information and the course application form.

Instructor: J. Corlett
Prerequisite: Permission of the Instructor

Spring 2012

HRGS 3650(3) Special Topics - Field Course in Sport, Development, and Peace
This 2-week field course in El Salvador explores the current state of child and youth development in an environment of endemic violence, economic struggle, political tension, gang culture, and powerful influences from wealthier neighours in the Americas. Particular emphasis will be placed on developing values and life skills required to provide children and youth with better opportunities to make healthier choices leading to less dangerous futures.

Instructor: J. Corlett
Prerequisite: HRGS-2650(1.5) and permission of the instructor


See more information about past field courses

2011 Field course in South Africa:

Post-Conflict Truth, Memory, and Reconciliation


South Africa 2011 Summer InstituteIn June of 2011, Professor Dean Peachey and 13 undergraduate and graduate students joined Professor Marius Brand and six students from Cornerstone Institute in Cape Town for a 2-week intensive course. Our "moving classroom" explored the ways South Africa has tried to deal with the legacy of Apartheid with lectures from leading experts, tours of museums and sites of conscience, and visits to a variety of communities.



View a photo book with excerpts from student journals here.



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