Navigating the Grand Tour
Welcome! This site provides an overview of our study of travel as education. This site and accompanying course explore an idea—the Grand Tour—as both a real and ideal itinerary of cosmopolitan education. We explore the narratives and counter-narratives of travel to Europe and how travel contributes to a global society.
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What will I learn?
Studying and following the "grand tour" means studying the concept of "broadening your horizons" quite literally. We will study the ways in which global citizens with different kinds of passports have traveled to Europe, for the purposes of expanding horizons, developing networks, improving career pathways, and all of the other reasons that people have associated opportunity and freedom with "the Grand Tour". We will focus specifically on counter-narratives and untold stories to highlight the ways in which travel has complemented the activism and aspirations of individuals whose opportunities have been otherwise suppressed. Our focus is on the stories behind the journey as well as the stops along the way. We use the concepts of mobility and immobility past and present as texts to think about what makes a person a global citizen. You'll practice different approaches to inquiry (aesthetic and comparative). You'll learn basic fieldwork skills (observations, document analysis, interviews) and forms of expression. And you'll acquire travel skills...how to navigate different places, systems, and personal borders. Link to Syllabus.
Where Will I Go?
LONDON
"The empire on which the sun never sets." We'll visit the British Museum to understand the underlying colonial structure of 17th century Grand Tourists' travels and consider what it means to "curate" and collect. We'll visit sites that help us understand the impacts of that colonial history and current politics of immigration and power.
PARIS
Paris has always been synonymous with a cosmopolitan ideal...high art, high fashion, high culture. It has also been a destination for freedom and opportunity for travelers whose mobility is otherwise constrained in their home countries. We'll continue our study of immigration and post-colonial power relations as well as the counter-narratives of African Americans and their allies traveling and living abroad.
FLORENCE & BOLOGNA
Traveling by air to Florence, we'll explore the historic home of British and American expats and take a day trip to Bologna, the birthplace of western higher education and destination of countless students over the centuries. Rubbing shoulders with today's international students, we'll learn about the impact of student mobility and current politics of cultural politics through Black History Month Florence.
ROME
We wrap up in Rome, the target destination of the original Grand Tourists and site of ongoing tensions of mobility and immobility for Black Europeans. But this doesn't have to be the end. Students are strongly encouraged to plan a few more days...in Italy or heading to other easy-to-get-to-destinations around Europe.
What Will it Cost?
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The Program Fee is still being set. It will include all the group logistics, housing, transportation between cities, city transportation passes, and group activities.
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All UK programs also include an Education abroad fee, application fee, travel insurance, and one credit of tuition (EA599) which will translate into 3 credits of HON352 or possibly HON252. These meet UK Core requirements for Global Dynamics and Arts & Creativity Tuition will depend on your residency status and may be waived (see EA Budget page).
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You'll spend approximately $1200-1400 for airfare which you buy yourself. You can save substantially on this expense if you buy early and shop around. You can also choose to extend your trip beyond the course which allows you to capitalize on your airfare expense.
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And, finally, you'll budget personal expenses including meals, and sightseeing (e.g. going to museums not in our program). You’ll also need to budget for passport and incidentals. All of these things will vary from person to person (appetite for food, culture, and shopping) and are listed in the EA budget for the program under individual expenses.
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Scholarships are available and most of my students have been successful in getting at least some support. Check all options and apply on time.