Berkley Center

I am a junior in Georgetown College (double major in environmental biology and government with a minor in mathematics) studying for the fall 2011 semester at the University of Botswana in Gaborone, Botswana through the Council on International Educational Exchange. I hope to share my observations and analyses of culture, politics, and religion in this small but interesting country with a wider audience through JYAN. Botswana achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1966. The influence of colonialism was not particularly strong here, compared with much of the rest of Africa. Diamonds were not discovered until after independence, so the British did not have very strong economic interests in Botswana.

Religiously, Botswana is primarily influenced by a variety of Christian and traditional African beliefs. But there is an appreciable Muslim population and a new Hindu temple in the capital city. In terms of politics, Botswana has had a remarkably democratic and stable history, especially when compared to its neighbors. A single political party has been reelected in every election since independence. Botswana’s culture is influenced by globalization and Westernization (especially via South Africa), but tribes play a constitutionally recognized role in the legal system and remain highly relevant, particularly in rural areas. Given the wide range of places Georgetown students study abroad, I believe that reports from a developing country with a relatively homogeneous population and fairly low levels of tension over religious and cultural issues could add an interesting and perhaps unique perspective to discussions of religion, culture, and politics.