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Summer Abroad Chile

Human Rights, Memory, and Democracy

Santiago, Chile

  • Dates – August 15–September 5, 2026
  • Max Enrollment – 30
  • Taught In – English
  • Prerequisites – Yes
  • Academic Area – Spanish and Portuguese

Program Overview

Fifty-two years after General Pinochet’s military dictatorship (1973-1990) violently overthrew President Salvador Allende’s democratically-elected revolutionary government, Chile stands as an international symbol of the horrors of state terrorism, the power of grassroots mobilization, the struggle for justice, and the challenges of forging democracy after dictatorship. Permeated by the legacy of Pinochet’s social and economic reforms, Chile today encapsulates tensions between the neoliberal status quo and powerful social movements led by students, indigenous peoples, and other groups whose goal is to curb discrimination and deep socioeconomic disparity. This program introduces students to the battles being waged over history, the courage of human rights activists, the quest for truth and justice, and the role social movements have played. Students will live in a fun, bustling area of Santiago; interact with some of the country’s most important politicians, activists, artists, and academics; and work toward a complex vision of Chile today.

Classes will be taught at Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (UC Chile), the top university in South America. Students will forge meaningful, lasting relationships with their Chilean peers who will be their classmates during this immersive, three-week global learning experience. Field trips include visits to important historical sites such as the Villa Grimaldi Peace Park and the Museum of Memory and Human Rights, the homes of Nobel poet Pablo Neruda, the city of Valparaíso, and Chilean wine country. No knowledge of Spanish is required, though students will be exposed to Spanish through daily life and practice with their Chilean colleagues. All course activities will be carried out in English.

Program Contacts

Program Highlights

  • Discover the richness of Chile’s history and culture on one of the most inexpensive programs offered by Summer Abroad.
  • Understand why Chile’s political and historical experience over the past 50 years is so important on a global scale and intimately intertwined with U.S. history.
  • Experience the music of Victor Jara, the poetry of Pablo Neruda and Gabriela Mistral, the promise of the revolutionary era, the pain of the dictatorship, the dilemmas of the transition to democracy, the warmth of the Chilean people, the wonder of the Andes, and the bounty of one of the world’s most geographically diverse nations.

What Students Are Saying

  • “This program has taught me more than the class material. It has taught me the value of community-based learning where the friendships I have made with our Chilean peers allowed me to attach tangible meaning to the readings and lectures. I am incredibly grateful for having been on this study abroad and cannot wait to continue learning about Chile.”
  • “While I arrived with a textbook-constructed lens on Chile and the dictatorial regime, I am leaving with an understanding of Chile as a place of resilience, resistance, and an advocacy-fueled voice for a more equity- and humanity-centered future. Este es un país que me enseñó sobre el poder de nuestra voz colectiva…”
  • “My study abroad experience in Chile has enlightened me to the multifaceted nature of collective memory and democracy. However dark and twisted our memories may be, the truth will always set us free, allowing us to create a brighter future. Because of this journey, I feel more equipped as a student, citizen, and human.”

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Chile Human Rights Study Abroad Summer Abroad Spanish Portuguese