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Costa Rica
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The program
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ACM Tropical Field Research in Costa Rica

Research in the social sciences

In economics, students can explore such topics as sustainable development, eco-tourism or the effects of free trade agreements on growth and equality in a small economy. Social ecology students might focus on land use and community planning, small-scale agriculture, or deforestation. The crucial 2006 elections should provide much to interest students of political science, along with the potential of municipal government or development of environmental law.

Above: A student with his research advisor on a field trip to a banana plantation.

Below: A student poses with the midwife with whom she worked. This 80-year-old woman has delivered more than 1,000 babies.

Sociology students might explore the meaning of solidarity in Costa Rica, the changing roles of women, or migration. Water and air pollution, and the cost and availability of health care in rural and marginal urban areas are among many interesting topics that might be explored by students interested in public health.

These projects frequently require a high level of Spanish because there is potentially so much interaction with the general public. Also, due to government regulations, student research cannot be carried out within Costa Rican hospitals and clinics.

Archaeology field work at pre-Columbian sites, carried out in cooperation with the National Museum of Costa Rica, includes survey and mapping techniques, excavation and data recording procedures, and laboratory analysis.

Students interested in cultural anthropology might work in rural areas on topics such as the impact of tourism on the culture of the Bri Bri. Many anthropology projects require interviews, so Spanish fluency is very important.

Some recent topics include:

  • Effects of tourism on the ceramics industry
  • The Costa Rican political party system in transition
  • The development of rapid methods for community monitoring of water quality
  • The theory and practice of health education in a rural school district
  • The media and teenage body image in a rural town
  • Women and microenterprise in the Nicoya region
  • The teaching of creative writing in Costa Rican primary schools
  • Changing role of rural women
  • Citizen participation and the control of corruption
  • Costa Rican Bilingual Education Plan
  • Study of a major Costa Rican coffee company
  • Archaeological excavations
  • Government agricultural development policies and the small farmer
  • Women's relationship to food in a neoliberal environment
  • Effectiveness of government health programs

The photo album includes pictures of students at their research sites.

Past topics and abstracts of student field research projects
 

Above: At the Guayabo National Monument. (Photos courtesy of Matthew Watson)

Go to topics in the natural sciences and the humanities

Go to: Overview ... orientation and language study ... selecting a topic ... conducting research ... academic information ... staff ... costs ... how to apply ... contacts
 
updated 3/1/07