The Global Studies Program at Swarthmore organized a faculty-led educational trip to Dakar and Saint-Louis, Senegal in January. The trip, which included course work and credit, provided nine students an opportunity for on-site learning to augment their Introduction to Global Studies class.

The trip and course work were organized by the co-founders of Global Studies: Ayse Kaya, professor of political science; and Carina Yervasi, associate professor, Modern Languages & Literatures, French & Francophone Studies, and executive director of Global Engagement. It received funding through the Provost’s Office through a competitive application process.

Yervasi, Associate Professor of Sociology Nina Johnson, and Assistant Professor of Sociology Edlin Veras traveled with the students to Senegal to study its history, culture, and new government, as well as the impact of climate change on the environment and citizens’ livelihoods.  

“Senegal provides a crucial case for several topics of importance in the Introduction to Global Studies course,” says Kaya, “including post-colonial governance, effects of climate change and resilience against it, and poverty and inequality, as well as providing a great place to study cross-cultural currents.”

Visits throughout Dakar and Saint-Louis were combined with commentary from various local scholars and community leaders. Professor of History Alioune Dème of the Université Cheikh Anta Diop in Dakar led the visit to the new Museum of Black Civilizations [Musée des civilisations noires]. He offered observations, clarifications, and thoughtful answers to the students' many questions.

At one point, Dème asked Eve Umutoni ’28, a first-year Swarthmore student and native of Rwanda, to explain a photo exhibit of hairstyles from Rwanda and their importance in local culture in the context of historical antecedence from Egypt. Afterward, Umutoni commented, “It was my first time at an African history museum without half of it being about colonization. Studying Africans as part of human evolution rather than the products of colonization felt refreshing.” 

At the end of each day, students were asked to reflect on and draw connections between what they read, what they saw, and what local scholars and community leaders discussed.

“Global Studies offers students the opportunity to critically challenge dominant perspectives. The hope is a trip like this gives students new ways to learn from others in the wider world around them,” says Yervasi.

This was particularly true in Saint-Louis, in the Langue de Barbarie fishing neighborhood, when Professor Boubou Aldiouma Sy, geologist at Gaston Berger University, paused in his discussion of rising water levels to encourage a local fisherman [a member of the Lebu ethnic group] to continue speaking with the Swarthmore group about the crisis in fishing traditions due to the dangers of off-shore oil drilling and flooding.

Global studies major Hannah Humphreys ’25 says, “The highlight of the [Saint-Louis] tour was absolutely the input from a local fisherman. He seemed adamant about the future of the 30,000 residents of the south end of the Langue de Barbarie — saying the Lebu people will always be water facing, even as the water encroaches through floods like those from 2008 and 2014.”

Students’ reflections ranged from discussions of comparative colonial politics; to “a Pan-Africanism for the people, instead of a Pan-Africanism for the elite,” as suggested by Marisa Musenga ’25; to the new youthful Senegalese government; to mangrove reforestation; to the new energy boom and oil-drilling rigs off the coast of Senegal and Mauritania.

“Every evening, I would read these reflections and could not help being impressed by the students’ ability to make such thoughtful connections in such a short time,” says Yervasi. 

While there were many memorable moments during the weeklong visit, one of the highlights was spending time on a peer-to-peer exchange in which a group of local host students met the Swarthmore students during a city tour day. Global studies minor Rowan Orlijan-Rhyne ’25 talked about meeting Maurice and spending “three to four hours chatting about the world, our places in it, and also about the simple things in our lives as 21-ish year-olds.”

“I'm super grateful for [that] experience,” he adds. “Not only was it cool to ‘see into’ the life of someone my age in Senegal, but it was also great to exchange ideas.”

Global studies prospective individualized major Kaylie Milton ’28 began the city tour day unsure of what it would be like to spend the afternoon with other students. Her host student, Matty, “told me all about her lifestyle and the dynamics with her family, and it really made me see my life from a different viewpoint,” she says. 

“I also did not expect her to have the same trend, language, and expressions as me, but she did,” adds Milton. “I came into this believing we would have nothing in common, but that couldn't be further from the truth, and I hope she and I will stay good friends and communicate whenever we can.”

Global engagement is one of the priorities of Swarthmore Forward, and the trip constitutes an on-site learning opportunity that advances this goal. Kaya and Yervasi both underscored the importance of the College in thinking of ways to make opportunities like this more abundant and the global perspective more systematic.

“Being not just global citizens, but also good local citizens, and thoughtful crafters and advocates of American (or any other) values and interests requires a solid understanding of the global context,” says Kaya.

“The trip was eye-opening, and I learned so much new information about Senegal, especially its economic circumstances and the environmental degradation” says Se’Cora Simmons ’27, who is an intended global studies individualized major and a linguistics minor from Detroit, Mich. “It was an immersive experience that taught me about the culture and allowed me to meet with local citizens and scholars.”

The professors also added the caveat that preparations for this trip were intensive, and the process long. They were happy to see the interest for it extend well beyond the global studies students. They are grateful to partners in Senegal — APA-Dakar Sophie Corbeau-Dieng, Ahmad Ba and Dr. Astou Sagna of Université Cheikh Anta Diop — who coordinated and secured speakers. Similarly, they hope to continue involving more faculty in the Global Studies Program. In addition to Johnson’s and Veras’ participation with the faculty-led trip to Senegal, this year’s Introduction to Global Studies course was taught by Veras and Visiting Assistant Professor of Modern Languages & Literatures, German, Karoline Hicke.

Those who wish to learn more about global studies and this study trip can join the poster presentation to be held later this spring, at which students will share their experiences with the College community.