Exploring Public Memory and Civil Discourse in Great Britain

“Now, when I hear London, Edinburgh, Venice, Paris, or any of the other places I’ve been, I have my own images in my head rather than relying on what the media has portrayed for me. I also learned so much about myself and what my strengths and weaknesses are when it comes to travel and independence.”
– Christine Dottle

In addition to making memories and exploring new places, studying abroad offers students an opportunity to learn in a location connected to the context they are studying. This summer, COSO sponsored a study abroad trip to Oxford and Great Britain that was led by communication professor Dr. Lauren Lemley. Students on this trip were offered the chance to take two special topics course — The Rhetoric of Public Memory and Black Mirror: Communication and Technology.

To study public memory, students visited numerous historical sites and museums. The purpose of the course was to compare the way Americans remember significant past events to how people from other countries and cultures do. In Oxford, they visited a J.R.R. Tolkien exhibit as well as Kilns the home of C.S. Lewis. The class also took a trip to Edinburgh, Scotland and visited Loch Ness. Christine Dottle, a communication major said that visiting the Churchill War Rooms in London was particularly impactful. Dottle said she learned more about the war there than she ever had before. Her testimony is a tribute to the power of experiential learning and the value of studying abroad.