Environmental Humanities in Puerto Rico

How do art, literature, and music help us make sense of colonialism, climate change, and the struggle for environmental justice? This three-week program in Puerto Rico invites students to explore how Puerto Ricans—on the island and across the diaspora—have used cultural expression as a form of resistance to centuries of environmental degradation and political subjugation.

Through the lens of environmental humanities, students will examine the intersections of colonial history, ecological transformation, and cultural identity. We will ask how creative expression—poetry, reggaetón, protest art, murals, and oral histories—can reveal deeper truths about "La Brega," or the ongoing struggle to live with dignity in the face of systemic oppression and environmental vulnerability. In doing so, students will engage with urgent questions at the core of environmental humanities: Who bears the brunt of ecological destruction? How is land both weaponized and reclaimed? What stories do we tell about survival, resistance, and repair?

Over the fall term, students will meet twice for orientation sessions, where they'll engage with foundational texts such as Puerto Rico: A National History by Jorell Meléndez-Badillo and explore the rich world of Puerto Rican music and visual art, including works from the Hood Museum's Puerto Rican collection. Then, over three immersive weeks in Puerto Rico during the winter break, we'll travel across the main island and to Vieques and Culebra, visiting coffee farms, agroecological projects, and sites of environmental harm and recovery—from oil refineries to military Superfund sites. We'll hike through El Yunque rainforest, explore the karst caverns of the north, and kayak through bioluminescent bays—all while meeting with local artists, curators, community leaders, and environmental organizations working at the intersections of culture and climate.

Through field-based learning, site visits, guest lectures, and student-led group discussions, students will gain a nuanced understanding of how Puerto Rico's environmental histories and cultural forms offer insight into broader global challenges around colonialism, resistance, and climate change. This program is ideal for students interested in literature, environmental studies, Latinx and Caribbean studies, history, and the arts—and for anyone eager to think critically, creatively, and collaboratively about how culture shapes ecological futures.

About 16 students will be selected for this program.

For more information about applying for this program, see our webpage on How to Apply & our FAQs under section 2 (How to Apply: Application)

While in San Juan, students will stay in two large short-term rental properties (Airbnbs) that easily accommodate up to 18 people (16 students and two faculty directors) and are readily available for such activities across the Island. This form of housing will further facilitate the building of familial bonds that are necessary for creating a collaborative environment that promotes the open dialogue and reflection that are central to the experiential learning model applied here.

As the group travels west and south, students will stay in rooms at local hotels in Mayagüez, Ponce, Arecibo, and La Parguera that allow the group to travel to nearby sites and give students the opportunity to explore the local city life during the evenings. A full-size school bus will be rented and a driver will be hited for transportation between locations and activities in each region. In Puerto Rico, it is common for extended families and community groups to rent school buses for day-trips and social gatherings, making this an incredibly accessible and common form of transportation throughout the archipelago. Some group meals will be provided by the program, and while students stay at the Airbnbs in San Juan, they will have access to full-size kitchens and nearby grocery stores to prepare their own meals. Students will also have access to local restaurants to purchase prepared food during their free time.

We encourage students to engage with their SAS advisors and program faculty/staff during the exploratory, pre-application phase to discuss how disability-related accommodations and access needs can be supported in an off-campus environment. If you currently have approved accommodations at Hanover, SAS will review them to determine which can be provided at your off-campus location and what alternatives may be needed. On-campus and off-campus accommodations may differ depending on each program location's resources and accessibility features. We recommend beginning this discussion with SAS as soon as you are accepted and no later than at least one whole quarter before your program start date.

For next steps, review the Off-Campus Program Accommodations page on the SAS website. 

The budget sheet for this program will be available soon. 

Please note that the tuition and fees you pay to the college for the fall term will include the Fall Term+ course associated with this off-campus program.  There will be additional room and board costs billed to your student account associated with the off-campus program.  These fees, in addition to any estimated out of pocket expenses will be eligible for financial aid for those students who qualify.

In order that all qualified Dartmouth undergraduate students may have the opportunity to take part in off-campus programs, the College endeavors to adjust its normal financial aid awards for students already receiving aid. Tuition and expected family contribution for Dartmouth's off-campus programs are the same as for an on-campus term.

All costs, including airfare and spending money, are considered when determining the cost of an off-campus program. Any costs more than a typical term in Hanover are met with additional Dartmouth Scholarship Funds.  If you have a work expectation for the term, this will be replaced by scholarship funding for programs that span the entire term. We do not replace work expectations for our Fall Term + programs as students are in Hanover for the 10 week term and remain eligible to work.

Students are responsible for purchasing their own plane tickets and, in many cases, meals. Often this means that part of the expected family contribution is used towards these costs rather than for tuition. For help sorting out who pays what and how-- a visit to the Financial Aid Office is often advisable.  For more information please also review the study abroad section of the financial aid website.

Financing your program | Financial Aid | Scholarships | Budgeting & Costs