Field Trips

Field Trips

Students will take field trips to observe conflict resolution processes they discussed in class. We will begin with field trips to the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda in Arusha and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area located about 45 miles north of Arusha town. We will then take a coastal trip along the historic caravan trade routes from Bagamoyo to Dar-es-salaam and Zanzibar. Today, the region is at the center of a revival of trade, diplomatic and cultural ties in the western Indian Ocean region spearheaded by the rise of China and India as major players. We will observe how the people of Tanzania are adapting to the rapid urbanization, tourism and international trade.

UN-ICTR

We will visit the United National International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda convened by the UN Security Council under Resolution 955 of 8 November 1994 to prosecute those most responsible for the genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Rwanda between 1 January 1994 and 31 December 1994. Since then, the ICTR has secured the arrest of over 70 individuals involved in the genocide cases. Landmark decisions include the conviction of a former prime minister for genocide, media publishers for incitement and finding that rape constitutes the crime of genocide. Students will attend actual genocide trials and lectures by human rights attorneys and prosecutors.

Email Dr. Nesbitt for information on United Nations internships attached to the ICTR in Arusha.

Ngorongoro Conservation Area

Students will the participate in a safari to Ngorongoro Crater, a UNESCO World Heritage site about 45 miles north of Arusha. At the crater, we will visit Maasai Peace Village where elders talk about the conflict between environmental conservation and indigenous pastoralists. Ngorongoro is a unique environment that has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Coastal Trip

Bagamoyo
The coastal trip begins in Bagamoyo (Kiswahili for “lay down your heart”) that was a minor coastal trading town for centuries before becoming a major port in the Arab slave trade in the 17th century. Slaves were marched from the Great Lakes region to Bagamoyo where they were put on dhows and shipped to Zanzibar and then to Arabia, Persia, India and China. Bagamoyo later became a center for the resettlement of freed slaves at the Freedom Village established by Catholic Missionaries in 1868. It was also selected as the capital of German East Africa in 1886. We will visit Swahili ruins from the 13th century, the Freedom Village where freed slaves were rehabilitated and Old Fort where slaves were housed before transportation to Zanzibar. We will also visit the Bagamoyo’s center for the arts and observe the construction of dhows (traditional wooden sailboats).

Dar-es-salaam
The next stop is Dar-es-salaam where we will visit the University of Dar-es-salaam and tour the Village Museum and National Museum before boarding a ferry to Zanzibar. Dar-es-salaam is the most important administrative and commercial center in Tanzania. It is the largest and wealthiest city in the country. It was the administrative center for both the German and British colonial powers but lost its status as the capital city to Dodoma in 1974. Today, Dar is a major entry point for international businessmen and tourists who are attracted by its relatively developed infrastructure. It is also a base for visits to Zanzibar and Pemba islands.

Zanzibar
Zanzibar has an illustrious history of involvement in Indian Ocean trade and geopolitics. Its strategic position led to colonization by the Portuguese in 1505, the Omani Arabs in 1698 and the British in 1890. In 1962, Zanzibar became a semi-autonomous region in the Federal Republic of Tanzania. Today, Zanzibar is at the center of a revival of trade, diplomatic and cultural ties in the Indian Ocean region spearheaded by the rise of China and India as major players. Students will tour historic sites such as the Slave Market, House of Wonders and spice plantations. They will also talk to leaders about Zanzibar’s current status as a semi-autonomous region in the Republic of Tanzania. See UNESCO World Heritage site here: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/173