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Study Abroad Information for Current Linfield Students

January Term Abroad

ENGL/BIOL-398  Literary Biology of the Seas of Cortez

This course will retrace part of the 1940 voyage of the writer John Steinbeck and the biologist Edward Ricketts, who traveled to the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez) to study life between the tides. We will spend roughly three weeks exploring the shores of Baja California, visiting many of the locales where Steinbeck and Ricketts collected sea life and wrote about the relations between humans and the natural world. We will not collect plants or animals, but will combine observation and identifications with discussion of conservation issues. During the time spent in Mexico, students will frequently present oral discussions of progress on their research projects. In addition, writing assignments will cover descriptions and analysis of organisms, as well as consideration of theoretical ideas in nature and nature writing, and environmental ethics.

Prerequisite: Fall semester prior to JT'14 departure, students will be required to enroll and participate in the IDST 098 Orientation to International Study (1 credit).

Faculty: Professor David Sumner and Professor Chris Gaiser

Fees: Program Fee: $4300; Estimated Air: $825
Credits: 4
LC: UQ or NW