Elliott School of International Studies students traveled to Senegal over winter break to interact with diplomats, professors and locals on a short-term overseas course launched this year.
Sixteen Elliott School undergraduate and graduate students spent nine days of winter break participating in conferences, focus groups, and lectures on foreign influence in the country. Professor Matthew Kerwin, who taught the course, said that because policymakers are concerned about foreign influence on the continent and chose Senegal because it is politically stable and easy to travel to, students should He said that he wanted them to have a deeper understanding of the topic.
“To be able to do this and allow my students to see Africa through my eyes was like a dream come true because I was able to put together a program that I thought was very insightful.” said Kerwin.
Secretary of State Kerwin said that he submitted a proposal for a short-term overseas program during the 2019-2020 fiscal year. The three-credit course, “Foreign Influence in Senegal: Exploring Influences and Perceptions of Senegal,” counts for credit in Special Topics in African Studies, a course offered to undergraduate and graduate students in the Elliott School.
He said about 37 undergraduate and graduate students applied for 16 spots in October 2023.
Kerwin created the itinerary with the help of the Center for West African Studies, a group that connects American researchers with West African countries. The center connects with Senegalese professors to plan trips to sites of cultural and political significance, such as Gorée Island, a former slave-trading outpost off the coast of Dakar, and Touba, home to West Africa’s largest mosque. It is said that it was useful. .
“We went back and forth on what made the most sense, keeping in mind making it affordable for students,” Kerwin said.
He also said that through his work connections at the State Department, he arranged a meeting with several diplomats to explain the U.S.-Senegalese relationship. The United States trades with Senegal and considers it a stable African democracy and a “model” of religious and ethnic tolerance, according to the Africa Bureau’s bilateral relations fact sheet.
Before the trip, the class met several times on campus to learn about Senegal and listen to student presentations about aspects of Senegalese culture such as food, religion, politics and water sports such as surfing, Kerwin said. He said that in his first pre-departure meeting, he invited Christine Caine, the principal assistant secretary for global public affairs, who previously served as a diplomat in Senegal, to provide insight on U.S. external influence in Senegal. .
Kerwin said before the trip began, she created an Instagram page for students to document the trip. He said students were asked to upload at least three photos during their trip with captions summarizing what they learned that day.
Kerwin said students will speak with local Senegalese in focus groups and learn about culture and how foreign influences are viewed by locals. He said students will also attend lectures on relations between the United States, Russia and China, and learn how each country approaches foreign affairs.
“There is competition between foreign powers, with countries trying to promote their own values and advance their own interests,” Kerwin said.
Mr Kerwin said foreign influence in Africa often looks like “soft power”, which means that countries such as the US, Russia, China, France and Turkey are using infrastructure projects and cultivating their own culture in urban areas. He said that this means that he is trying to build relationships with African countries by advocating for , music, and sports. He said other countries such as China are building roads and bridges, while countries such as the United States are trying to act as partners to Senegal by letting Senegalese basketball players play in the NBA.
“For example, Turkey built a new soccer stadium in Dakar. Senegalese are very passionate about soccer,” Kerwin said.
He said that although the group will not meet in person again, the students will produce a 15- to 20-page project they plan to submit in February that will incorporate information gleaned from panel discussions, academic talks, and daily interactions with the people of Senegal. He said he plans to cooperate in the preparation of the policy document. He said the final project is an opportunity for the students to synthesize the cultural, historical and political information they learned on their trip and create a paper that American policymakers can use to better understand Senegalese culture. said.
“We talked about what all the data points we collected were and how we could refine our research questions to write something interesting,” Kerwin said.
Christopher Zrazik, a third-year student studying international affairs and public policy, said he learned how countries such as China, Turkey and the United States exert influence on Senegal through foreign investment in infrastructure projects.
“Through our lectures, the focus groups we participated in, and our observations while driving through Dakar and the surrounding area, we really uncovered the extent to which foreign powers are becoming entrenched in the country. ” Zrazik said.
Bryson Handy, a first-year student studying international affairs and economics, said his favorite part of the trip was visiting the African Renaissance Monument in Dakar. He said that’s when he saw the rally for the event. He said the experience introduced him to the world of Senegalese politics and provided an example of the benefits of visiting an African country and learning about its political system through first-hand experience.
Desiree Chacha, a fourth-year international studies student, said she learned about cultural diplomacy and development from the group’s tour guide and driver. She said that in two focus groups with students and working adults, she learned about Senegal’s lifestyle, perspectives on foreign influence, and Senegal’s upcoming presidential election.
“The whole group took a step back. We were mainly there just to listen, to observe, and to unite with the Senegalese people,” Chacha said.