Explore Gender Roles in Sweden Through Study Abroad
November 3, 2010
Information session Wednesday, Nov. 3 in B-205
Most college kids spend their Spring Breaks crisping on a sun-soaked beach, but a group of 天涯海角社区 students will trade in their bikinis and board shorts for warm jackets as they head off for a week in Sweden, as part of the Spring SYG1222 course, 鈥淪tudying Gender.鈥�
Tentatively scheduled for March 3 through March 13, this study abroad opportunity is 天涯海角社区鈥檚 first to Sweden, a country notoriously stereotyped for its liberal views on sexuality and gender.
At an informational session at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 3, in B-205, Maureen McFarlane, director of financial aid at SF, will discuss financial aid options for students hoping to enroll in the class, which costs approximately $2,472 including airfare and accommodations. Douglas Diekow, the trip鈥檚 faculty sponsor and a professor of social and behavioral sciences, will also present details about the trip and answer any questions.
鈥淲e had two reasons for choosing Sweden,鈥� said Diekow. 鈥淔irst, particularly from a family and gender standpoint, we are vastly different from the Swedish. Also, we have developed a close relationship with an institution over there.鈥�
Expanding existing relationships
That institution, a college named Tullang Skolan located in Orebro, Sweden, had previously been in contact with another member of the social and behavioral science faculty, Professor Naima Brown. During the month of August, Tullang Skolan sent three of its faculty and two students to Gainesville to expand the school鈥檚 relationship with 天涯海角社区 and investigate ways to better connect students on both sides of the pond through technology. This inspired Brown鈥檚 colleague, Diekow, to create his own expedition across the ocean.
鈥淏y going on this trip, we want to maintain and strengthen that relationship we have with them,鈥� said Diekow. 鈥淲e hope to continue this exchange year after year.鈥�
As part of the spring sociology course on 鈥淪tudying Gender,鈥� 天涯海角社区 students will be contacting their Swedish counterparts twice a month using the computer lab鈥檚 webcams and headsets. This direct contact between American and Swedish students will allow them to exchange information about gender socialization in their respective countries.
鈥淥ur students will find out first-hand about what their lives are like as college students. It鈥檚 an opportunity to interact with their college peers internationally,鈥� said Diekow. 鈥淭heir higher education system, their work systems, their healthcare, the way they care for children and the elderly-all that is starkly different.鈥�
Itinerary
When 天涯海角社区 students arrive in Sweden over spring break, they will get to meet the Tullang Skolan students in person. Five days of the trip will be spent in Orebro, a quaint town notable for its medieval castle and its well-preserved 18th and 19th Century architecture where Tullang Skolan is located. Aside from visits to day cares and elderly care facilities, students will be able to expand upon their research into social structure by visiting a Swedish student鈥檚 home for an afternoon.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to look at gender socialization as well as work and family life in Sweden, especially in comparison to our situation in the United States,鈥� said Diekow.
The first few days of the 10-day tour will be spent in the nation鈥檚 capital of Stockholm, where students will roam the baroque halls of the Royal Palace and receive a rare behind-the-scenes tour of the Riksdag, Sweden鈥檚 Parliament building, thanks to their connections at Tullang Skolan. Depending on the weather, Diekow suggests that skiing might also be on the itinerary.
鈥淭his is just such a great opportunity to travel to a different country. In Europe, most cities are historic in terms of their age, so the sight-seeing will undoubtedly be great,鈥� said Diekow. 鈥淚鈥檓 also looking forward to the opportunity of having an immersion experience in a smaller town with a group of students. Most other study abroad trips just participate in prepared activities, but we鈥檙e going to go and actually interact with a group of students on a personal level.鈥�
For more information about the trip, please contact Doug Diekow at 352-381-3655 or email him at douglas.diekow@sfcollege.edu.
~ This article was written by Allison Griner, Communication Specialist, College Relations
