Decolonial Feminist Studies Track

Students at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus have the option of enrolling in the Decolonial Feminist Studies Track. This interdisciplinary special track is comprised of two main components: direct-enroll courses at the University and the option of an internship in the field, coordinated by the School in Puerto Rico, supervised by a local leader, professional or professor, and with the support of an academic mentor.  This track will give students the opportunity to engage in topics related to Feminist Studies from an intersectional and decolonial perspective. 

The Decolonial Feminist Studies Track invites students to understand and question the role and development of patriarchal norms in society and how such norms affect the ways we understand ourselves, others, and the world around us, within specific contexts.  We aim for students to acknowledge the complex and dynamic quality of patriarchal systems and how they affect and intersect with other issues such as those related to class, race, ability, age, citizenship, nationality, education, coloniality, sense of place and belonging, among many others. Students in the track will not only learn about how the modern colonial world is largely structured around such patriarchal norms, visions, and configurations but will also learn about concrete issues and challenges being faced by local women, people who are queer, trans, or who otherwise challenge gender norms, as well as other “feminized” populations in the Puerto Rican archipelago. In addition, we aim for students to become acquainted with local feminist groups and initiatives, actively working towards a more just, open, inclusive, and diverse society. 

Students not interested in enrolling in a track may opt to participate in our standard, direct-enrollment program.

University Courses

Students will have the opportunity to take four courses alongside Puerto Rican students at the Universidad de Puerto Rico, Recinto de Río Piedras or three courses and an internship.* Courses from a variety of disciplines and Schools may be taken, including the School of General Studies, the School of Humanities, and the School of Social Sciences.  Courses offered may include those taught by the Women and Gender Studies Minor, such as Introduction to Gender Debates, Feminist Theories and Methodologies, Masculinity Studies, Gender and Education, History and Gender in PR, Gender and Visual Arts, Gender and Philosophy, Gender and Performance, Gender, Sexuality and Texts, Race and Gender, among many others. Some of the courses on special topics offered in the past few years include:

  • Writings in Confinement and Abolitionism
  • Gender Violences and Activism
  • “Cuir” Laziness
  • Politics of Queer Spaces and Bodies
  • Queer Theory
  • Biopolitics in Latin America and the Caribbean
  • Decolonial Afro-Caribbean Feminism
  • Inclusive Language: Applied Linguistics and Gender Studies
  • Towards a feminist and Abolitionist Pedagogy

Courses from other Schools or Departments may also include: 

  • The Black Woman in Puerto Rican Literature
  • Art and Gender
  • Human Rights in Contemporary Society
  • Women in the Puerto Rican Political Process
  • Gender and Political Power.

Please note: Courses offered vary each semester, and all courses taken by Middlebury School in Puerto Rico students must be fully in-person.

Students will also take the Middlebury course, SPAN2401P Writing for Linguistic and Cultural Competence (0.5 credits) for a total of 4.5 Middlebury units.

Internships

Eligible students may have the option of taking a credit-bearing internship where they would have the opportunity to work in the Women and Gender Studies Minor, at Siempre Vivas Metro, or with the Proyecto de Diversificación Académica en Estudios de Afrodescendencia y Racialización (PRAFRO). An internship in other feminist community organizations may also be possible. 

To receive credit for the internship, students must complete a minimum of 100 hours in the field, as well as a supervised and graded research project related to their area of interest and to the organization’s needs.  If you are interested in pursuing an internship, please be aware that you must commit to fulfilling all deadlines, abide by the organization’s rules and expectations, and be able to manage your time and work efficiently. Failing to do so may jeopardize the possibility of an internship with that organization for another student in the future. 

*An internship opportunity in one of these organizations is not guaranteed. Internship assignments depend on students’ interests and qualifications and the organization’s specific needs at the time.  

Students interested in interning must verify that their home institutions will accept academic credit for the specific experience. General internship application procedures and deadlines will apply.