CRIM 451: Race, Crime and Justice. Travel to Willemstad, Curacao for November 17-24, 2018.
This program is an examination of the relationships existing between race and the criminal justice system. It features online instruction and a mandatory visit to Curacao. The online portion of the class focuses predominantly on race and the criminal justice system of the United States. Particular attention will be paid to the police, courts, and correctional systems. The focus in Curacao will be on the island role in the slave trade and its slavery history, its contemporary racial concerns, its response to an increase in illegal immigration, and its Jewish community (the oldest in the Americas). Classes will be held Sunday through Thursday for about 3 hours daily, which provides students with ample free-time t! o explore the island as they please.
Curacao provides an interesting counterpoint to the United States because Curacao recently became autonomous but still remains a part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is characterized by a mix of influences. It certainly displays Caribbean characteristics but is directly influenced by Europe because of its membership in the Kingdom. Its people identify with the Americas but they hold Dutch passports and follow many Dutch traditions. The island was a key port in the trans-Atlantic slave trade and permitted slavery until the 1860s. The island was a Dutch colony and shows the lingering effects of colonialism. Because of these experiences, the island has a racial history that differs from America’s racial past and present. Cost will be approximately $1,400 plus an additional $1,000 – $1,500 for airfare and additional expenses.
If you are interested in enrolling, please complete a short application at: https://howardsmith1.typeform.com/to/Y5YKqy Students will be accepted on a first-come basis. Application deadline is September 1, 2018.