Justice Studies Offers Two Study Abroad Programs for Summer 2017

Justice Studies is offering two study abroad programs for Summer 2017.


JUST 301: Special Topics: Exploring Restorative Justice in South Africa

This summer program is a 3-week, 3-credit program based in South Africa that will provide students with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn about post-conflict justice, restorative justice, South African society, reconciliation, and race relations. We will be spending most of our time in beautiful Cape Town, but we will also venture in to Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg. We will also be spending time at a national game reserve where we will be able to spot elephants, giraffes, rhino, lions, and many other African animals in the wild.   During our stay, we will be residing in hostels and backpackers – the best way to experience the country authentically and the preferred choice of travel for both tourists and locals. All accommodations will have wifi and have access to public transport. The program takes place from June 18th to July 8, and is led by Kathleen Sensabaugh. The program fee covers all accommodation, travel within the country, two meals per day, and program activities (e.g. excursions, outings, museums, etc.).  Additional info and applications can be found on the JMU study abroad website:https://www.jmu.edu/international/abroad/programs/jmu-south-africa-justice.shtml or this attached flyer.


Criminals and Saints: Justice and Pilgrimage in Southern Italy

This is an interdisciplinary trip designed for students from Justice Studies or Criminal Justice and those in English or the Creative Writing minor.  Students on the trip will choose 1 of 2 courses offered in the program, for 3 credits.  The class that’s designed for Justice Studies majors is JUST 301:  Organized Crime and the Anti-Mafia Movements in Italy.  The problem of Organized and Transnational crime is a key area of concern in the justice fields today, and this trip will provide a lot of opportunity to study and consider the phenomenon while travelling in one of the most beautiful countries in Europe.  We’ll be spending about a week in Sicily (home to La Cosa Nostra, an organized crime group with many historic ties to America mafias) and about 9 days travelling around on the mainland part of Italy, primarily in the South.  We’ll be spending time in the regions of Calabria (where the ‘Ndrangheta, considered to be currently the most powerful Italian Organized Crime group, are based), Campania (where we’ll stay on the beautiful Amalfi Coast in Sorrento, while making trips to Naples, home base for the Camorra, another of the 4 major organized crime groups in Italy), and end our travel with a few days in Rome (including a day trip to Assisi).  We’ll be learning not only about the ways in which these nefarious organized crime groups do business, but also spending a lot of our time meeting and talking with those who have been influential in the extremely inspiriational anti-Mafia movements in Italy. The program will begin in late May (probably on May 20) and we’ll be completing our travel in early June (probably June 6).  Students who register for the JUST 301 course may use that to fulfill one of the general elective requirements for the CJ minor.  While the class is designed for Justice Studies and CJ students, it is open to those in all academic disciplines at the university (where it could be used as a university elective, part of the 120 credits required for graduation).  For more information, please see the JMU study abroad website: https://www.jmu.edu/international/abroad/programs/jmu-italy-sorrento.shtml  or attend the information session on Monday, October 3 at 7 p.m. in Moody 101. See attached flyer.