For many people, the idea of a summer in France brings to mind cafés and a leisurely stroll along the Seine. But for 15 students on a two-week IAFS Global Seminar, summer in France brought them to the heart of European and international affairs in Bordeaux, France.
The Global Seminar—led by Professor Tom Zeiler, Director of International Affairs—allowed students to earn 3 credits in June for IAFS 3500: France and America, Connections through Time. The course focused on how two of the world's most influential powers, France and the United States, are uniquely connected through their shared history, political institutions, and economics. In addition to on-site lectures and accommodations at the Institut d'Études Politiques, students enjoyed excursions around Bordeaux. A highlight was a site visit to the US Consulate.
For the participants of the Global Seminar to Bordeaux, summer 2014 was an unforgettable chance to live and learn in a city at the crossroads of history and contemporary affairs of Europe. Cristina Stief (IAFS ’15) says this program was a chance to go abroad on a budget and take a class at the same time: “There were, of course, the obvious program highlights—wine tasting class, the local cuisine (including the best goat cheese I have ever tasted), castles in the countryside, and a day trip to Saint-Émilion. But more than that, what I liked best was the accessibility of an array of distinguished [guest-lecturing] French professors, who had elected to share their time and expertise with us visiting students.”
Experience the summer 2014 Bordeaux program with a video created by Ella Zeiler