The New School Graduate Program in International Affairs

The New School Graduate Program in International Affairs

Spring 2010

CRN  7298    NINT 5900

 

International Field Program Spring Seminar Syllabus

ETHIOPIA

 

Wednesdays 6-7.50pm

Room: 66 W.12^th St , A-617

 

Faculty Country Coordinator: Bertha K. Amisi

Office: Office: Rm 620 -D, 6^th Floor, 66 W. 12^th St.

Email: amisib@newschool.edu; skype: amisib

Phone: Phone: 212.206.3524

 

 

The goal of the Spring International Field Program seminar is to prepare you for your summer field and academic experience such that you arrive feeling prepared and confident and you leave feeling you made the most of the experience. We will try to familiarize you with the context in which you will be living and working; discuss the country's history, culture and politics; and review your proposed work on the ground. The seminars will include skills workshops, simulations, speakers, films and readings.

 

Successful completion of the IFP Spring Seminar is a prerequisite to participate in the IFP Summer Session. This will be determined by:

• Attendance at all seminars
• Reading all materials
• Active Participation in discussions
• Attendance at and participation in skills workshops, simulations, and IFP events.
• Completion of Country Briefing, Terms of Reference for internship and Research Proposal for summer.

 

Absences must be approved by the Faculty Country Coordinator.

 

Readings: (see attached reading list A)

 

Internship Organizations (see attached list B - this list will be updated with new information)

 

Students should research and familiarize themselves with the internship opportunities available at organizations working in their area of interests. Make sure the organizations are located in AND have programs/projects in Addis Ababa.  Some organizations located in Addis do not necessarily run programs/projects in the city.

 

 

Seminar Schedule:

 

Session 1: Friday, January 29, Wollman Hall

Faculty: Mark Johnson, Fabiola Berdiel

IFP-wide orientation session:

Requirements, calendar, preparation, simulation, managing expectations

IFP and GPIA Welcome Back Party

 

Session 2: February 3

Faculty: Bertha K. Amisi

Seminar 1: Introductions

(Video clip ) Ngozi Adichie, The Danger of A Single Story, TED, http://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.html

Country - history, culture, politics.

IFP preparations: Health, visas, plane tickets, Spring pre-requisite courses.

Assignment: Country Briefing paper (introduce assignment)

Reading:  

• Marcus, Harold G. 2002. A History of Ethiopia. Berkerley and Los Angeles: University of California Press.
• Abbay, Alemseged. 2009. Diversity and Democracy in Ethiopia. Journal of East African Studies 3, (2): 175-201. [PDF]
• Word Bank and UNDP Country Profiles on Ethiopia

 

Session 3: Week of February 17

Faculty: Bertha K. Amisi (not present at meeting)

Seminar 2: Meeting with 2009 IFP Participants

Discussion on Internship organizations and country experience.

Assignment: Research and contact potential internship organizations.

See List of Potential Organizations on the Discussion Group site.

 

Session 4: March 3

Faculty: Bertha K. Amisi

Seminar 3: Country Background

Country Briefings due today in class!

History, culture, politics

Students work in country

Progress of spring pre-requisite course papers.

Assignment: Summer research proposal (introduce assignment, due on session April 21)

Reading:  Review the readings (see reading list) under Addis the City and also Culture and Society.

 

Session 5: Friday, March 5, Room 404

Faculty: Mark Johnson, Fabiola Berdiel

IFP-wide meeting: Financial aid, health services and immunizations, travel requirements. This session will get you on track to prepare for your upcoming IFP.

 

Session 6: Wednesday March 24 and Friday, March 26

Faculty: Mark Johnson, Fabiola Berdiel

Skills Workshop I: Terms of Reference

On the first skills workshop, students will prepare a Terms of Reference for their internship placement.

Assignment: Draft Terms of Reference (due on April 21)

 

Session 7: March 31

Faculty: Bertha K. Amisi

Seminar 4: Individual meetings with students

Review Terms of Reference, Internship coordination and discuss Research Proposal

 

Session 8: Wednesday, April 14

Faculty: Mark Johnson, Fabiola Berdiel

Skills Workshop II

On the second skills workshop, students will learn practical skills directly related to the type of internship work they will be conducting during the summer. Proposed workshops are: grant-writing, budgeting, surveying, interviewing, and analyzing survey and interview data.

 

Session 9: April 21

Faculty: Bertha K. Amisi

Seminar 5: Individual meetings with students

Research Proposal due this week (by April 21)

Terms of reference due this week (by April 21).

Follow-up on internship coordination

 

Session 10: Week of April 26

Faculty: Bertha K. Amisi

Seminar 6: Group dinner with students

 

Students will choose to attend either one of the restaurants listed below:  

1. Ghenet Restaurant (348 Douglass St. corner of Fourth Ave.) The M and R trains to Union Street go there. Phone: (718) 230-4475. http://ghenet.com/

 

2. Queen of Sheba (650 10th Avenue b/w 45th & 46th St.) Phone: (212) 397-0610. http://www.shebanyc.com/

 

Session 11: Wednesday May 5

Faculty: Bertha K. Amisi

Seminar 7: Pre-departure seminar

Finalize Terms of Reference and Research Proposal

 

Session 12: Week of May 3

Language proficiency test for IFP programs. Not required for Ethiopia.

 

Session 13: Friday May 14, Wollman Hall

Faculty: Mark Johnson, Fabiola Berdiel

IFP-wide seminar: Preparing to go.

How to get the most out of your experience. Security and emergency plan. Managing expectations.

 

 

Session 14: Friday, September 10

IFP 2010 Conference

Faculty: Mark Johnson, Fabiola Berdiel

Every student participating in an IFP is required to publicly present the work they conducted over the summer at the IFP conference in the beginning of the Fall semester.