Kenya is a case study of how economic progress, social development, and wildlife conservation can be achieved in Africa. But rapid population growth, persistent legacies of colonialism, economic and political inequality, health challenges due to HIV/AIDS, Covid-19 and other diseases, and differing visions of the future of Kenya result in great uncertainty about the sustainability of progress. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Wangari Maathai, the first African woman awarded a Nobel, highlights this. Her Green Belt Movement is an environmental non-governmental organization focused on the planting of trees, environmental conservation, women’s rights, and economic opportunity for women and poor communities. The history of the Green Belt Movement and its opponents provide a clear illustration of these stresses. In this course, we will learn about the history, current state, and possible futures of Kenya, with a focus on the triple axes of sustainability: environmental, social, and economic.
Info sessions for the 2022 Kenya Trip will be held from 12 – 1 PM on Monday, November 1 and Tuesday, November 2 in the Career and International Center Conference Room (2nd Floor ERC).
