OVERVIEW

When momentous events like the Olympic Games or World Cup soccer tournament arrive in a city, momentous things happen – for the better and for the worse. As the 2026 World Cup gears up to take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, this class considers the way cities and societies change with the arrival of international sporting events. Set against the rich sociocultural backdrop of Mexico City, this course uses the World Cup as a portal to understand the social, cultural, environmental, and political impacts of global sporting events.  

Program Highlights:

• A hybrid online summer course with a mandatory two-week in-country residential travel component to Mexico City;
• In-depth, hands-on examination of the relationship between global sports and migration, sex work, labor, displacement, and community organizing;
• Conversations with local social, community, and political organizations about inequality, justice, and social change as Mexico City prepares to co-host the World Cup in 2026;
• Daily visits to sites of social, cultural, and historical significance, including the National Autonomous University of Mexico; Azteca Stadium; the Teotihuacán pyramids, and several local museums, markets, and non-profit organizations;
• Special guest lectures from local experts on architecture, film, fine art, sex work, trafficking, culinary arts, and sustainable farming.

FACULTY MEMBERS

Elena Shih (American Studies - Brown University) and Elis Mendoza (Patio Lab - National Autonomous University of Mexico)   

COURSEWORK

• Course Title: AMST 1500D: Sex, Sports, and Urban Space and the 2026 World Cup in Mexico City
• Credit: Participants will earn one unit of credit, equivalent to four semester hours. The extensive written assignments classifies this course for WRIT designation. 
• Prerequisites: None
• Language of instruction: The language of instruction for this course is English and there is no requirement to have taken coursework in or to have proficiency in Spanish. However, the in-country portion of this course will offer students of Spanish the opportunity to apply their language skills through interactions with the local community. 

DATES

*June 16, 2025 – July 26, 2025

 *Please note that program dates and itinerary are tentative and will be finalized in Spring 2025.

ITINERARY

*The online pre-travel coursework will involve both asynchronous and synchronous components.  Asynchronous work will consist of independent mandatory reading and written memo reflections.  Synchronous work will consist of two 1.5 hour long Zoom lectures and discussions (one per week between June 16-June 30), to be scheduled at a mutually convenient time for all participants.

HOUSING

In Mexico, students will be housed in hotels in multiple occupancy rooms with a shared bathroom. Housing arrangements are subject to change as the program is finalized.

Please note that all participants are required to stay in program-arranged housing. Independently arranged housing will not be permitted.

All breakfasts and 1 additional group meal per day will be provided and paid for by the program.  Students will be responsible for paying for all other meals out-of-pocket.

PROGRAM COST

Brown Global Summer Program participants are billed for Brown Summer Session Tuition and a Global Housing, Meal & Activity Fee that covers housing, program activities, and some meals while in-country.  The tuition and fees for Summer Session 2025 will be published on the Student Financial Services website.  The estimated Global Housing, Meal & Activity Fee for this program is $3,800.

This program also has anticipated expenses, including airfare, that will not be billed by Brown.  We will be uploading detailed estimates of the unbilled expenses for this program in the coming weeks on this website.

SUMMER GRANTS

Brown undergraduates who receive financial aid during the academic year may be eligible for a Summer Grant towards their Summer Session charges. Eligible students will be contacted by the Office of Financial aid in late February/early March with information about their eligibility.

TIMELINES 

Please make note of the following deadlines for Summer 2025 programs.  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

• Saturday, February 1: Preferred Application Deadline
• Saturday, March 1: Final Application Deadline
• Friday, March 7:  Admissions Decision
• Saturday, March 15:  Commitment Deadline
• April 1 - April 15: Students Purchase Flights

VISITING STUDENTS 

Visiting students from other (i.e., non-Brown) colleges and universities are welcome and encouraged to submit a visiting student application to any Brown Global Summer Program.

As part of the application process, visiting students must also submit an official academic transcript to demonstrate that they meet the following two eligibility criteria:

• Active enrollment as a degree-seeking, undergraduate student at the time of program delivery (i.e., graduating seniors are not eligible)
• Good academic standing

Instructions for submitting an official transcript as a visiting student are provided in the online application for each program.

CONTACTS

Chris Van Booven, Assistant Director of Global Programs