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Political Science Mexico: Mexico in the World Economy – Immigration, Urbanization, and Development
Location: Guadalajara, Mexico
Department: Political Science
Estimated Program Dates: June 24 – July 24, 2014
Estimated Program Fee: $4,150
Credits: 6
Program Director: Luis R, Fraga (Political Science); Norma Ramirez (OMAD)
UW Study Abroad Advisor: Katherine Kroeger kroegk@uw.edu
Application Deadline: January 31, 2014
Information Session(s): TBD
Program Description
The program is designed to give students a deep understanding of the challenges facing the people of Mexico as it becomes ever more integrated into the world economy. The primary academic goals of the program are to give students a clear understanding of the choices and tradeoffs facing Mexico's people and policy makers as they work to further solidify the country's position in the world economy. The issues that Mexico faces regarding the migration of a substantial portion of its workforce to the United States, the development of consistently competitive elections, the continuing migration of its people from rural areas to urban metropolises, and the continued development of its economy are largely due to its continued integration into the world economy. Contrary to much understanding in the U.S., it is not because Mexico is poor and underdeveloped that it faces many of its economic, social, and political tradeoffs. It is because it is consistently advancing in its social, economic, and political development to fully integrate itself in the world economy that it faces the many hard choices that increasingly confront its people and their leaders.
The city of Guadalajara, in the state of Jalisco, Mexico, is the perfect location to examine Mexico's most significant challenges. It is the second largest city in Mexico. It is a center of major urban development, advanced commerce, and cultural production. It is, however, near many small villages that have sent thousands of workers and their families to the U.S. It is also a place that is a first-stop location for many of these migrants. Workers and families from rural areas often first move to urban centers like Guadalajara before they attempt to migrate to the U.S. It is also the case that the University of Guadalajara, the second oldest university in Mexico, is a major center of education, research, art, and culture. Public transportation is well developed in Guadalajara as well. There are also many museums in Guadalajara. Through a combination of class time, field trips, student projects, and journals we will be able to fully utilize all of the resources of Guadalajara for our students to learn. For these reasons, Guadalajara is an ideal location to study major aspects of Mexico's continued political and economic development.
