(Re)Imagining Communities: Language, Culture, and Nature in the Basque Region in the 21st Century.
A Study of the Linguistic, Cultural, and Natural Ecosystem.
The Department of French and Italian is delighted to announce the launch of a new summer immersion community-engagement course, set in Bayonne, France, in the heart of the Euroregion Aquitaine-Euskadi, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees.
Designed for students with an advanced level in French, this credit-bearing, experiential learning course will be based in Bayonne, France, in the heart of the Euroregion Aquitaine-Euskadi, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees and, co-organized with the on-site institutional partner, the Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour (UPPA). This course, FRE 329F, will count towards the minor in French.
Drawing on Local Expertise for Academic Work
In this Princeton-led program, conducted in French, local faculty, researchers, artists, and community organizers will present guest lectures and lead discussions on selected topics to help students prepare for community engagement activities.
The program will combine classroom conceptual learning, discussion seminars, on-site visits, regional excursions, fieldwork, and active participation in cultural and community events to help students discover the Basque Country and its political and linguistic history across the borders of two nations (France and Spain).
Interacting with the Community to Learn about the Linguistic, Cultural, and Natural Ecosystem
Students will interact with a large range of stakeholders, NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations), and activists to learn about the ways in which they (re)imagine life in their communities and address issues related to language rights, identity, cultural expression, and preservation of nature in their region.
Interacting with Local French Students
Thanks to the partnership with the University of Pau and Pays de l’Adour (UPPA), peer-to-peer learning through teamwork and collaborative activities with local French students will be an integral part of the program.
Topics
The topics to be studied include linguistic, cultural, and environmental activism; language and educational policies; language rights and revitalization; grassroots efforts to reclaim identity and cultural heritage; cultural and artistic expression; youth creativity and engagement; tourism, gentrification, and commodification.
Sample Activities
Fieldwork and visits to bilingual immersion schools, active participation in a local film festival, hands-on exploration of local ecosystems through participative science events, volunteering in a musical or cultural event, interviewing community activists, performing a service with a community-based group, teamwork, and peer-to-peer learning with local French students.
Program Specifics
Dates
- June 2, 2025, to July 5, 2025
- Arrival on June 1, 2025
- Departure on July 5, 2025
Program Director
Prof. Christine Sagnier, Director of the French Language Program
Location
UPPA campus in Bayonne, France (destination airport: Biarritz, West coast of France)
Applications
Students with an advanced level in French (200+, 300 highly recommended) who are interested in a community-engagement interdisciplinary course are eligible to apply.
Applications will open on November 4, 2024, and close on December 2, 2024.
All students must apply through the Global Programs Systems (GPS) by the deadline.
Early application is strongly encouraged, as interviews will start on December 2, 2024.
Please Note: Students must complete the application before they can secure an interview.
Read the Application Process notes at the bottom of the page to find out more.
Cost of Attendance
The Cost of Attendance includes direct costs, which are billed by the University, and indirect costs, which are part of the overall cost of participating in this summer program but are not directly charged to a student’s account. Please review the sections below to find expenses billed by Princeton University and estimated out-of-pocket expenses.
- Tuition for five weeks: $3,660 (this includes a $500 non-refundable deposit)
- Fees: $0 (covered by the program)
- Books, course materials, supplies, and equipment: $50
- Housing (shared self-catering apartment with small kitchen): $0 (covered by the program)
- Food:
- Lunches (Monday-Friday) at the university restaurant: $0 (covered by the program)
- Breakfast and dinner (Monday-Friday), three meals on the weekend: $600 (estimated cost)
- Transportation: (estimated, depending on point of departure) $1,600 (includes: international flight to/from the location, baggage allowance, transportation to the site)
- Personal expenses: $500 (Includes: international phone plan, personal expenses such as laundry, local transportation, and toiletries)
FRE 329F will include multiple cultural activities and excursions directly related to the course; the costs will be covered by the program.
Total estimated costs of attendance: $6,410
Expenses billed by Princeton University: Tuition: $3,660
Out-of-pocket expenses (estimated):
- Books: $50
- Transportation: $1600
- Food: $600
- Personal expenses: $500
Financial Aid
Students on financial aid should apply to the Dean’s Fund in SAFE. General information about the Dean’s Fund can be found at the Office of International Programs. In SAFE, students must apply for the opportunity titled “Dean’s Fund for International Faculty-led Programs.”
Applications for Round 1 of the Dean’s Fund will open on November 15, 2024. Although the first round closes on January 19, 2025, students are asked to apply by the program application deadline of December 2, 2024, so that they can receive early funding decisions (issued around December 16, 2024) and make the decision to commit to the FRE 329F program by January 13, 2025, with this information in hand.
Students who apply to the Dean’s Fund after December 2, 2024, must wait until after the official Round 1 application deadline to receive notifications about their summer award amount, which will be communicated by January 31, 2025.
Application Process
Everyone must apply through the Global Programs systems (GPS)by the deadline.
Students complete a questionnaire, upload a resume and an essay, and provide the name of a faculty member for a recommendation.
After the application is complete, applicants will receive a request to schedule an interview.
The application must be completed before an interview can be scheduled.
Recommendations
For students who are enrolled in our French classes, a recommendation procedure is built directly into GPS. Applicants must enter the faculty member’s full name or netID and then select said faculty member as their current French instructor. The system will then send a prompt for the faculty member to complete a recommendation.
Students who have not taken a French class at Princeton will need to ask their High School teacher to write a letter to assess their level and/or have their Assistant Dean for Studies write a letter containing a short statement explaining whether or not they support the student's application and why they do or do not recommend the student. The High School teacher and Assistant Dean for Studies should e-mail their letters directly to [email protected].
In GPS, complete all items until there is a green check mark next to each and the progress circle is closed. After all requirements are completed, the application submit button will appear.
After submitting the application on GPS, applicants will receive a message to schedule an interview through Calendly.
Please note: Interviews will be held between December 2, 2024, and December 13, 2024.
If you have any questions related to the interviews, please contact Christine Sagnier.
If you have any difficulties or questions regarding the application, please email [email protected].
The participants' selection will be announced shortly after all interviews are complete in mid-December 2024. Those selected must accept or decline the offer by January 13th, 2025.
Pre-Departure Meeting
All students selected for the program must attend a mandatory pre-departure meeting at the end of March 2025. During this meeting, students will receive information to prepare them for the program.
Details of the meeting will be emailed to the students in mid-March.
Students selected will be enrolled in a Canvas course and required to complete the course modules related to international travel before the pre-departure meeting. These modules include information about health, safety, organizing travel, and identity resources.
The program will comply with all regulations and travel requirements.
Community Engagement Training
All selected students will attend an on-campus community engagement training session during the spring semester. Information about the session will be provided several weeks before the event.
