Barcelona, Spain: The Other Side/El Otro Lado - FULL for 2022

 

Summer Abroad- Barcelona: The Other Side/El Otro Lado: A comparative look at migration and refugees along the Mediterranean and US-Mexico borderlands

Engage deeply with the histories and contemporary realities of migrant and refugee communities in the vibrant city of Barcelona, Spain. This program will explore the connections between and differences of migrant and refugee narratives in the Mediterranean sea corridor and migrant experiences (including experiences of undocumented migrants) at the US-Mexico Borderlands.

The course will ask questions like: What are the underlying reasons driving how and why states militarize borders? What strategies are used to deter migration in both sites? How do “threat narratives” shape the ways migrant and refugee communities are racialized/gendered in their “host” country?

Participants will meet with local NGOs, migrant collectives, and scholars working with refugees in Europe to engage with these questions and more. 

Dates: June 26, 2022 - July 30, 2022

All dates are subject to change

This program is being planned to be in-person for 2022. Berkeley Study Abroad is actively monitoring COVID-19 on the ground for all in-country programs. 

Units: 6 units

Language of Instruction: English

Course:

• Ethnic Studies N180: The Other Side/El Otro Lado: A comparative look at migration and refugees along the Mediterranean and US-Mexico borderlands

 

Eligibility:

• At least one year of college coursework completed by the start of the program

• 2.0 GPA or higher

• There are no prerequisites or restrictions for participation.

Housing:

• Students will share double rooms with one other program participant.  The double rooms have individual bathrooms, air conditioning, internet, a flat screen TV and desks. Bedding and towels are cleaned daily. Please note that students will be paired with roommates based on the gender listed on their passports. However, gender inclusive options are available. If you have clarifying questions, please feel free to reach out to the program staff.
• Students will live in the heart of Gracia, close to where the classes will be held, and in one of the neighborhoods with the most bustling nightlife activities and dining experiences in Barcelona. It is very well connected to public transportation routes, including the green line metro stop, Lesseps. The residency has an outside patio space and a dining room where breakfast will be served to all residents.
• Daily breakfast provided.

Application:

Application opens February 1, 2022

Space is limited and applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis

Deadline to apply is March 15, 2022

 

During the program, you will take one course for a total of six UC Berkeley units.

Course: Ethnic Studies N180

Title: The Other Side/El Otro Lado: A comparative look at migration and refugees along the Mediterranean and US-Mexico borderlands

Instructor: Dr. Pablo Gonzalez

Units: 6 units

This summer study abroad is an invitation between US ethnic studies and global ethnic studies in relationship to the construction of particular juridical/social/political subjects like refugees and undocumented migrants in two particular locations: 1) the US -Mexico borderlands and 2) the Mediterranean Sea corridor. We will engage in this invitation in Barcelona, Spain, the location of recent migration from throughout Africa, South America, the Caribbean, and West Asia. We will meet and converse with local NGO, migrant collectives, and scholars over the question of refugees and migrants in the European context. We will relate these conversations to the US-Mexico border, not to suggest that they are the same, but instead to build a necessary meeting between two distinct global locations with geo-political importance.

You can fulfill the L&S International Studies breadth requirement by full participation in a Berkeley Summer Abroad program. All of the required courses must be completed with a C-/P or better. Consult with your college/major advisor to see which degree requirements this course may fulfill.

Summer Abroad staff will enroll you in courses after your acceptance to the program. Please make sure there are no active blocks on your student account that may impact your course enrollment.

Tuition and Program Fees

The fees to participate in this program are broken down into 1) tuition and 2) program fees, which are applied to your student billing account as follows:

Fees are subject to change. All non-Berkeley students must pay an additional Document Management Fee of $63.

 

Estimated Out-Of-Pocket Expenses

In addition to the fees outlined above, Berkeley Study Abroad has estimated amounts for out-of-pocket expenses. These amounts are used to calculate financial aid packages for eligible students. Actual expenses will vary depending on your lifestyle and spending habits.

It is your responsibility to obtain any necessary travel documentation for your program destination (i.e. passport, visa, etc). This may require you to pay fees of up to a few hundred dollars depending on the type of paperwork required.

 

Financial Aid

Financial aid is available for Berkeley students who are enrolled in at least 6 units during the summer.

​​Financial aid estimates for 2022 Berkeley Summer Abroad programs are now available in the Summer Financial Aid Estimator in your Cal Central account.

Please FIRST obtain your estimate in the Summer Aid Estimator, then write to travelaid@berkeley.edu if you have any questions about the estimate you receive. Your estimate will include a Berkeley Study Abroad Scholarship if you qualify for one based on financial need.

How to locate the Estimator:

1) Log into Cal Central
2) Navigate to the My Finances Tab, and find the "Financial Resources" card
3) Scroll to the bottom of the Financial Resources card and click on Summer Sessions
4) From the Summer Sessions menu, click on Summer Cost and Aid Estimator
 

Make sure to adjust the number of units in the estimator if your program offers a choice of course selection. If your program only offers one combination or one course for 6 total units units, you do not need to update the units in the estimator.​

All other students should contact the financial aid office at their home institution for more information.

 

Explanation of Fees

Tuition is based on a per unit cost:

• • The UC undergraduate student rate is $419 per unit
• • The visiting student rate for all non-UC participants is $550 per unit

 

The program fee includes the following items:

• • Student housing, including a single room in an apartment at the University College Dublin with a shared kitchen, living room, bathroom, and access to laundry facilities
• • Excursions including entry fees to local museums, historic sites, etc.
• • On-site orientation activities including an introduction to the city of Dublin, the University College Dublin campus, Irish work culture, etc.
• • Travel insurance, including accident/sickness medical coverage, emergency medical evacuation, security extraction, and other travel assistance services
• • Other program-related costs including fees for placement services
• • The initial non-refundable deposit of $400, which is due at the time of application, is applied to the program fee.

*Please note that the list of items included in the program fee is not all-inclusive and is subject to change.

 

The following items are excluded from the program fee and included in the Out of Pocket expenses estimate:

• • International airfare
• • Personal expenses (souvenirs, routine medical expenses, toiletries, etc.)
• • Course materials (textbooks and readers)
• • Other travel expenses (passport, visa, etc.)
• • Additional meals
• • Commuting costs for daily travel to and from classes

Application opens	February 1, 2022
Application closes	March 15, 2022
Applicants notified of selection	March 25, 2022
Deadline to confirm participation or cancel for a refund of all program-related fees, minus $400 deposit	April 8, 2022
Attend pre-departure orientation*	Late April-May
Arrive in Barcelona	June 26, 2022
Last day of program	July 30, 2022

* These events take place on the UC Berkeley campus. If you are not on campus during this time, we will schedule a meeting via phone or Zoom.

† Students should plan to fly to Spain and check into program housing in Barcelona, Spain on June 26, 2022. Students are expected to check out of program housing on July 30, 2022. Students who depart after the last day may do so, but they are responsible for arranging their accommodations outside of the program end date.

All dates are subject to change.

Program Director: Dr. Pablo Gonzalez

Email: aztlan71@berkeley.edu

Dr. Pablo Gonzalez is a lecturer in Chicana/o Studies and Ethnic Studies with a PhD in Borderlands Anthropology. His work looks at the social construction of the Mexican-US border, the production of Mexican and Latino “illegality”, transnational social movements, and forms of transnational state violence. Dr. Gonzalez received his BA in Chicana/o Studies from UC Berkeley in 1999 and his PhD in Anthropology from the University of Texas Austin in 2011. His current research looks at housing dispossession in the greater Bay Area and the transnational migration of indigenous communities from Latin American to the United States and other countries. He is also interested in the similarities and differences between the managing and militarization of different borders and boundaries. In particular, the social construction of the US-Mexico border and the Mediterranean Sea as sites of migration and state violence against refugees. His teaching interests include Chicanx and Latinx culture, Chicana/o history, Latinos and the criminal justice system, Mexican and Central American Migration, and Ethnic Studies ethnographic methods.

Local Instructor and Partner: Dr. Mariana Mora

Email: marmorab@gmail.com

Biography for the website (for instructors): Mariana Mora is an Associate Professor at the Center for Research and Higher Studies in Social Anthropology or CIESAS Mexico City research center. She is a well-published and award-winning scholar in state violence, gendered violence, indigenous rights and social movements. She is the author of Kuxlejal Politics: Indigenous Autonomy, Race, and Decolonizing Research in Zapatista Communities (2017, UT Press). Her work spans not only Mexico and Latin America but also Southern Europe.

Summary of Recommendations to Student Travelers to Spain:

Berkeley Study Abroad is actively monitoring COVID-19 on the ground for all in-country programs. All programs that are running have gone through a screening for COVID-19 safety. That said, the global pandemic is an ever-evolving situation, and programs may need to be postponed (and in some cases, cancelled) in the event of an increased risk of COVID-19. To prepare for this, Berkeley Study Abroad recommends the following:

• Vaccinations are strongly encouraged and recommended to participate in Berkeley Study Abroad programs. If students have a vaccination exemption, we cannot guarantee that they will be able to travel, re-enter the U.S. upon return, live in program housing, take public transportation, or participate in program activities. You may also be subject to a mandatory quarantine period upon arrival, which would be your financial responsibility. If you are a student with a vaccination exemption and wish to study abroad, we highly recommend you reach out for an advising appointment to discuss if there would be a program that would meet your needs.
• Purchase refundable or changeable airline tickets in case the on-the-ground situation changes
• Research entry and exit requirements and restrictions for all countries you plan on traveling to (including paying attention to any travel prior to your arrival in-country for your program)
• Budget for entry and exit related expenses related to COVID-19 that are not covered by UC travel insurance policy. Details about the student travel insurance policy, and to find out what is covered, click here.
• Regarding vaccination status: All students must comply with the UC Berkeley UHS and UC policy on reporting requirements, proof of vaccination, or exemption. For students with vaccination exemptions, please research entry requirements for the program location. It is each student’s responsibility to plan and budget for necessary quarantines/additional testing, etc.
• Please take the time to familiarize yourself with any and all COVID-19 safety protocols in-country, and take extra precautions to keep yourself and others safe. Especially in these times, it is important to consider how our actions can have an impact on local communities while we travel in study abroad programs.

 

Additional Links and Resources for travel to Spain:

• US Embassy Common COVID-19 info page for Spain
• Spain Government COVID-19 page
• Consider signing up with the state department here to receive the latest Travel Advisories when they are posted on travel.state.gov.
• Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated Travelers
• Global Vaccination Rates
• FOR STUDENTS TRAVELING WITH A NON-US PASSPORT: IATA Travel map which outlines restrictions for all nationalities.

 

Traveling Responsibly:

On July 15th 2021, the University of California Office of the President announced a system-wide vaccine mandate that will require all students, staff, and faculty be immunized against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Summer 2022 program participants must comply with this mandate prior to their program start date. It is imperative to plan ahead as several COVID-19 vaccines require a 6-week period to achieve effectiveness. All students must comply with the UC Berkeley policy on reporting requirements, proof of vaccination, or exemption.

Please also take note of the COVID-19 related travel entry requirements for the country in which your program is taking place. These entry requirements may vary depending on which national passport you are traveling with. Note that some locations require proof of vaccination for entry, and that any costs associated with quarantining for non-medical related reasons will be the responsibility of the student. Please also pay close consideration to the route you are planning to take to enter the country, as some locations may have additional travel restrictions from places outside the US.

Lastly, while traveling to and living in your program country, we urge you to consider not only your own safety, but also the safety of others. As students representing the UC Berkeley community, especially in these times, it is important to consider how our actions can have an impact on local communities while we travel in Study Abroad programs. Please take the time to familiarize yourself with any and all COVID-19 safety protocols in-country, and take extra precautions to keep yourself and others safe.