León, Spain
This program is co-sponsored by UW Honors and the Department of Culture, Arts, and Communication at UW Tacoma.
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This 2026 summer B term program based in León, Spain explores migration, identity, and belonging in the Mediterranean. Students will engage with literature, music, film, and other cultural production to examine how migrants reshape national identities and how cultural expression responds to displacement and integration. Coursework is anchored by a rich selection of texts from Spain, France, and Italy and will be complemented by site visits, guest speakers, and facilitated community interaction.
León’s historical identity as a crossroads—between Christian and Muslim Spain, between rural and urban migration—makes it a powerful site to examine contemporary debates about integration and pluralism in Europe. Students will explore migration not only in theory, but through community engagement with local organizations such as Cáritas, Red Cross (Cruz Roja), and Pambley Foundation, which support immigrant communities. Students will stay with carefully selected host families, offering daily opportunities to practice language skills, experience Spanish life from within, and reflect meaningfully on cultural differences.
In addition to studying migration from academic and artistic perspectives, students will reflect on their own roles as visitors and tourists abroad. Using Anu Taranath’s Beyond Guilt Trips as a framework, the program encourages critical thinking about privilege, positionality, and cultural engagement in global travel. This metacognitive component deepens students’ awareness of their impact and responsibilities as global learners.
Whether you're studying literature, languages, linguistics, international studies, sociology, arts, or communication, you will leave the program with a richer understanding of the complexities of migration–and of your own place within a changing world.
- CHID 479 (A&H) / TIAS 490 / HONORS 213 (A&H, DIV) - 5 credits
- TIAS 485 (SSc) / CHID 471 (SSc) / HONORS 233 (SSc, W, DIV) - 5 credits
- SPAN 199 / TSPAN 199: Spanish language instruction - 2 credits
*Note that the fees stated above do not include some additional costs, including, but not limited to: airfare and personal spending money. These costs will differ by program. Be sure to read our Fees, Financing, and Withdrawal information for details about the fee structure and payment schedule.