Area Studies in a Global Context

Christopher Vorlet for The Chronicle Review

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By William G. Moseley

The study of global processes and a grounded understanding of world regions constitute the yin and yang of a solid internationalist curriculum. While the two sides of this cantankerous odd couple may occasionally feud, they actually need each other—a lot. Unfortunately, trends in the academic and grant-making realms have tended to undermine the area-studies component of internationalist education.

Many disciplines used to train regional specialists. It was commonplace, for