Panama

Spanish, IDS (Interdisciplinary Studies), and Biology - SPAN 2294 | IDS 2294 | BIO 2424

This course integrates parasitology, infectious disease ecology, cultural studies, and analysis of Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Panamanian literature to examine how the environment, public health systems, and cultural practices intersect in tropical regions. 

Through visits to research institutes, public health agencies, and conversations with Afro-Panamanian writers and community members, students will explore host–parasite dynamics, vector-borne disease transmission, and the social determinants of health while engaging in Spanish-language immersion and literary analysis. 

By bridging biological science and the humanities, this course invites students to understand disease not only as a biological process - but also as a historical, linguistic, and cultural experience shaped by colonial legacies, migration, policy, and identity. 

***Anticipated travel dates: May 11 to May 22, 2027 (dates are subject to change)***

None

*If taken for Spanish credit, SPAN 2024 or SPAN 2084 is recommended.

This course can fulfill the following requirement:

• General Education: Non-Western Cultural Traditions 

• $2,950

Click here for more info about what is covered with this fee