About the Institute

The Advocacy Institute: Sustainability is an inter-disciplinary post-session set in Dalian, China that enrolls not only Willamette students, but also up to forty students from China, Mongolia, and other countries. The institute's goal is to equip students from around the world with a deeper understanding of sustainability and provide the tools necessary for advocacy. This diverse course includes lecture, discussion, debate, media, and field trips to relevant sites.

This year, students will explore sustainability through two case studies of environmental disaster: the 2010 oil spills in Dalian, China and the Gulf of Mexico. Through lectures and discussion, Professors Scott Pike and Joe Bowersox will guide students in analyzing how an oil spill impacts the environment and local livelihoods. The course will examine government and corporate responses to each of the two oil spills. As an interactive extension of course materials, Professor Robert Trapp will teach students to debate the issues formally. A professor of Graphic Arts from Dalian Nationalities University will exhibit his photographs of the Dalian oil spill and guide students on a tour of the site.