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INTD 3411.03 Guatemala Field School

This intensive two-week course will take place in Guatemala. The course will explore struggles for justice and development in Guatemala through visits with community organizations. Issues to be explored through community visits include accountability for human rights violations during Guatemala’s civil war, Indigenous resistance to global mining operations, agricultural production (focus on coffee), education, youth migration, political organizing – and connections to Canada. We will also experience Guatemala’s vibrant culture and political life and diverse ecosystems. Students must apply through the IDS Department and pay the auxiliary fee that covers costs for the field school.

May 2026 Guatemala Filed Trip 

This May 2026, Professor John Cameron from the International Development Studies Department led a field school to Guatemala focused on Guatemala’s internal conflict and mining related human rights abuses in Indigenous communities.  

The IDS Guatemala Field School offers students an immersive opportunity to engage directly with the country’s social, political, and cultural realities through experiential learning. Participants combine academic inquiry with place-based learning, connecting classroom themes to lived experiences on the ground.

Early activities include visits to important historical and memorial sites, such as spaces commemorating victims of Guatemala’s internal conflict and genocide, providing students with critical insight into the country’s history and ongoing struggles for justice.

Students also engage with local scholars, activists, journalists, and youth organizations, gaining diverse perspectives on social movements, political change, and community organizing. Activities such as political walking tours, discussions with grassroots groups, and cultural practices, including a traditional Mayan fire ceremony which offered meaningful opportunities to learn directly from Guatemalan voices.

The field school emphasizes critical reflection, intercultural exchange, and hands-on learning, encouraging students to think deeply about development, history, and social change while experiencing everyday life in Guatemala.

The field school wrapped up with a visit to Canadian ambassador to Guatemala where the group shared reports on their meetings with civil society organizations and asked questions about embassy support for human rights defenders. The field school finished with a group debrief and reflection. Most students returned to Canada and a few stayed in Guatemala to explore Antigua.