South Africa is a unique hybrid course which gives you a traditional classroom experience and then offers the option of an additional hour credit to travel to South Africa.  Culture profoundly affects human response and attitudes toward issues of global importance, such as health, poverty, education, and human rights.  World Studies examines the ties between such global issues and the cultural politics and beliefs of a region. We will focus on South Africa and examine how these ties are communicated publicly, in families, across genders, across economic levels, and more.  What are the global issues facing South Africa and how are they defined, acknowledged and treated? How do official government reactions to something like AIDS interact with personal culturally-held beliefs? What role does gender play? How does the rich/poor gap affect a culture and its actions? Why do we say and do one thing at home and another in public? How does all of this relate to you? As an optional additional hour credit to the course, you will be offered an on-site visit to Capetown South Africa during Spring Break 2009 where you will experience first-hand the ideas discussed in class.  You may sign up for COMS 4950 and receive 3 hours credit in Communications.  OR you may sign up for SOCI 4950 and receive 3 hours credit in Sociology.  Then, you may also sign up for the SABR 4950 optional hour credit and go to Capetown, South Africa.  By spending a week in Capetown, you will experience one of the major cities of the world, where cosmopolitan lifestyles and traditional cultures intersect.