Human Sexuality in Europe

June 15 to July 1, 2007

This program provides students with a broad international perspective on how other cultures are dealing with various sexual and reproductive health issues. 

We will visit sites in England and the Netherlands and compare how these countries deal with issues such as teen pregnancy, contraception, abortion, sexuality education, and public policy issues related to HIV/AIDS, sexual orientation, and prostitution.  Special lectures, field trips, and on-site briefings will provide the opportunity for students to question assumptions about culture and sexuality, and to learn from societies that have different solutions to similar problems.

We will begin in London, selected because it is the headquarters of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the Family Planning Association of the United Kingdom.  We will then travel to Amsterdam to learn how a liberal and morally tolerant society deals with sexuality issues.

Course
Students are required to register for three credits of CHF 404: Special Topics in CHF – Human Sexuality in Europe

This course examines the relationship between various sexuality issues and public policies and programs related to sexuality.  The United States experience is compared to that of the United Kingdom and the Netherlands in order to identify the different ways these countries have responded to a variety of sexuality issues.  One example is teen pregnancy.  Every year nearly a million American teens become pregnant in the United States. Our teenage pregnancy ratio is approximately twice that of the United Kingdom and seven times higher than the Netherlands.  Why?  Many experts point to the availability of contraception, sexuality education, and greater acceptance of adolescent sexual activity in these European countries.

While in London for our first week, students will have the opportunity to meet with experts from such agencies as the International Planned Parenthood Federation, the Family Planning Association of the United Kingdom, The Sex Education Forum, Terence Higgins Trust, and the Center for Sexual Health Research. During our second week in Amsterdam, we will meet with staff from various sexuality agencies including the Rutgers Stichting Institute of Family Planning, the Netherlands Institute of Social Sexological Research, the Schorer Foundation, and we will visit the Red Light District.

Eligibility
This program is designed for undergraduate students in the fields of human development, family studies, education, sociology, psychology, nursing, social work, women's studies, and related fields. Academically rigorous with substantial reading assignments and challenging discussions, this course is suitable only for those students with a serious interest in human sexuality.

Academic Requirements
Participants will complete some required readings before the course begins. Additional readings will be distributed throughout the course. Students are evaluated on the basis of class participation, weekly writing assignments, and on the basis of a research paper completed under the guidance of the instructor. Each student's topic will be individually negotiated. The papers are due one month after the end of the course.

Faculty
Dr. Sandra L. Caron is Professor of Family Relations and Human Sexuality at the University of Maine.  For nearly a decade, she taught a similar study abroad course for Syracuse University. Her research and publications have focused on the social-sexual development of young people, with an emphasis on sexual decision-making, contraceptive use, safer sex, sexual assault, sexuality education, and cross-cultural perspectives. She has authored two books, Sex Matters for College Students: FAQs in Human Sexuality and Sex Around the World: Cross Cultural Perspectives in Human Sexuality .

Students are encouraged to contact Dr. Caron by e-mail: sandy.caron@umit.maine.edu

Travel
Participants travel on the group flight from Boston to London and Amsterdam, and return flight to Boston.  Ground transportation from the airports to the hotels, as well as transportation in each city during the program, is arranged by the program and included in the program fee.

Housing
Students are housed in shared rooms in hotels rented by The University of Maine. Continental breakfast only is included. On occasion the group will dine with the faculty.


A Tentative Calendar (Applicants will be notified of calendar changes.

Expenses (Subject to change)
Estimated Program Fee : $3,000
Program fee covers: Round-trip transatlantic airfare, air travel and ground transportation during seminar, shared hotel room, travel in each city, speaker fees, and other activities.