Over the last few decades Costa Rica has come to be recognized 
globally as an icon of successful conservation.  In the 
process, conservation and the tourism associated with it have 
made major contributions to the Costa Rican economy.  However, 
Costa Rica now faces a number of challenges that threaten to 
undermine the progress it has made.  In coastal areas in 
particular, rapid development is affecting both ecosystems and 
local community livelihoods.

This course focuses on the effects of coastal development on 
both conservation and local communities in Guanacaste 
Province.  For the first ten days of the course students will 
be based at Cabo Blanco Absolute Reserve and will visit a 
number of nearby communities to speak with local people.  
During the remainder of the course they will travel to a number 
of national parks and reserves along the coast.  They will also 
visit sites of rapid coastal development – resorts, large 
housing tracts and gated communities.  In the process, students 
will meet with people representing different viewpoints on 
trends in coastal development.  Course assignments will focus 
on integrating what students are learning experientially with 
literature on the anthropology and political ecology of 
conservation.


Expected Learning Outcomes

1.  Understand the history of the host country and the 
precursors of contemporary cultural and political systems.

2.  Understand fundamental concepts of political ecology, 
particularly as these pertain to conservation and development.

3.  Develop an appreciation for integrative interdisciplinary 
understanding of complex conservation and development issues.

4.  Recognize the importance of understanding global 
conservation and development trends and how these impinge on 
local contexts.

5.  Recognize the interplay of nature and human society in 
shaping tropical landscapes; understand the role of             
history, value systems, and economic pressures in conservation 
vs. development.

6.  Be aware of the issues and differences of opinion 
surrounding conservation and development.  Critically assess 
aspects of sustainability in the systems which one has the 
opportunity to observe.

7.  Understand differing perceptions of conservation and 
development issues in the global north and global south.

8.  Understand and evaluate the principal threats to habitats, 
flora and fauna in the tropical environment.  Be aware of 
conservation issues affecting tropical landscapes.

9.  Understand and evaluate the principal threats and 
opportunities facing local communities under various scenarios 
of conservation and development.

10.  Be conscious of the ecological and social impacts of 
coastal development and tourism.

11.  Assess the pros and cons of tropical ecotourism, and 
consider ways to ameliorate impacts of tourism.

12.  Understand how places and spaces are produced through 
processes of commodification.

13.  Design and conduct original research, analyzing the data 
and reporting the findings in a formal research paper.  
Generate new knowledge that will be used by future students and 
researchers.  Use standard references and published papers as 
resources in preparation of research paper.   Edit paper to 
improve organization, clarity, and correct usage.

14.  Design, organize, and conduct a research symposium; 
present results of original research in a formal symposium 
format, reporting on independent research.

15. Write an effective journal which chronicles and illustrates 
day-to-day events, observations, knowledge, and reflections, 
and is a valid record of the student’s entire study abroad 
experience.

16.  Improve cross-cultural expertise; build a personal 
worldview incorporating the insights gained in the program.

17.  Work productively as part of a collaborative research team 
and as an independent researcher; maintain a positive social 
environment within the group when living and working in the 
field.

Introduction
Key concepts in the political ecology of conservation and 
development
Other frameworks for understanding conservation and development
Analyzing trade-offs between conservation and development: 
power, process, and valuation
Global conservation and development trends
History of conservation in Costa Rica
Historical ecology of Guanacaste
Issues in the analysis of tourism and ecotourism
Tourism and the production of recreational space
Why culture matters: local communities and conservation
Why knowledge matters: conservation, development, and the 
politics of knowledge
Why politics matter: rainforest activism and national policy in 
the global north and global south
Why history matters: incorporating landscape history into 
conservation planning and implementation