Puerto Rico | People, Food, & Sovereignty in Puerto Rico
Tour Sponsor: Pace University
For 532 years, the residents of Puerto Rico have been under colonial control. First by Spain in 1508–and then by the United States from 1898 through the present.
One of the many consequences of the island’s colonial status, whether it’s couched in the semantics of “free associated state” or “commonwealth,” is its inability to self-govern. One consequence of this came to fruition in 2017, when Hurricane Maria stalled over Puerto Rico for a 24-hour period, not only decimating the island, but also resulting in the deaths of close to 3,000 residents. A second consequence is the Puerto Rico’s continued dependence on food imports, which hovers between 85-90 percent.
The travel component of People, Food, & Sovereignty (ANT 245) provides students with opportunities to put theory into practice by meeting with residents and working in spaces where a local brand of “sovereignty” is being pursued via the reclamation of both culture and agriculture. We will meet with local artists for a walking tour of Santurce’s mural district’s response to gentrification; collaborate with the stewards of La Finca Ceiba, an agroecological farm in the island’s eastern sector; cook the cuisine and participate in a dance/percussion workshop in Loiza, the hub of African culture on the island; and take a day trip to the island of Vieques, where we’ll learn about the environmental and health impact of the US Navy’s bombing drills on the island’s residents.
In sum: What does it mean to be a free associated state if one of the most fundamental rights–that of being food-sovereign–has yet to be attained?
Tour Price
$2115 double occupancy (10-11 travelers)
$720 single room supplement
Trip Itinerary
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