Spring Break Study Trip to Prague  

In the United States, public schools have relatively recently been viewed as secular, with a heightened sensitivity to church/state separation. This secularization process may also be evident in both government and media. The tensions in all three areas deserve attention. Yet, there never has been a complete separation given that most administrators, teachers, and students come from a Judeo-Christian background and their belief systems permeate every aspect of the schools’ social justice environment.

The Czech Republic is an excellent arena in which to examine the interplay between atheism, secularism, and religious traditions. Its unique history and geography provides research opportunities for students to explore how such themes have converged to create the current institutional imperatives that may most clearly be seen in schools, government and the media. It is in these three areas that students can search for clues about the values of a nation (as articulated by the dominant political forces). The impact of the Catholic Intellectual Tradition during decades of turmoil is examined, as well as current efforts by the Catholic Church to move towards both recovery and / or restoration.

Trip includes:  airfare, accommodations, breakfast and dinner, seminars, and sightseeing led by guides.

Open to undergraduates, graduates, alumni, and friends of the university.