SO/IN 395 - Internship/Social Action Seminar

IN/SO 395 is a two-fold course. It is an internship course which guides and supervises students during their internship in a Moroccan organization; it is also a Social Action Seminar which introduces students to the multifaceted environment of Moroccan NGOs. The Social Action seminar aims at increasing students' knowledge and awareness of civil society and social action in Morocco. It helps students understand the historical, socio-cultural, socio-political, economic, media, and international contexts of social action in Morocco.

A key aspect of this seminar is to underline the increasing proactive role assumed by civil society/NGOs in rights'-oriented politics and in political change in Morocco. 'Civil society' in Morocco represents an important non-State emerging actor, with a growing need for specialized skills and expertise.

Thanks to classroom discussions and students’ internships, students will hopefully grasp the linguistic, political, cultural, and international dimensions that impact the management of Moroccan organizations characterized by the increasing influence of western management concepts.

By interning in a Moroccan organization/university, conducting field work, interviewing Moroccan executives/employees/volunteers/professors/students, and sharing hands-on experiences in class, students will hopefully enhance their sense of social responsibility, field-work skills, and intercultural communication competence.

The course requires students to write an internship portfolio, including (i) an internship report, (ii) a field work report analyzing an aspect of their internship organization, and (iii) two field trip reports.