Social Movements and Neighborhood Change in Germany

Who are cities for? Who has the right to the city? How do social movements emerge in cities? What does sustainable development look like? This learning abroad course seeks to answer these questions and more with a hands-on exploration of urban change in Germany. We will take a 13-day journey together by plane, train, bus, subway, and on foot. We will spend 6 days in Berlin in the Northeast, then travel by train to spend 6 days in Hamburg in northern Germany. Our goal is to marry an intellectual exploration of Germany with a deep and intense experience together on the ground. The intellectual component of the course will focus on the urban change that has been taking place across Germany and the impact that has had on neighborhoods, the economy, the people, and the many forms of resistance in response. Students will ponder gentrification, social movements, and the extensive use of the arts as public expression. The experiential component will teach us practical and applicable tools to navigate “foreign” space, communicate with locals as a confident and humble global citizen, and significantly enhance our leadership and team-building skills. Our exploration will take us down both traditional tourist paths, and also many off-the-beaten-track experiences hearing from native Germans about their cities. This trip is ideal for students of all majors and interests.