Welcome to the LAS Global Studies program! The major prepares you for the challenges and opportunities of the 21^st century. Increasingly complex global issues—from pandemics to intellectual property rights, from refugee crises to the rise of cryptocurrencies—and beyond—resist easy solutions. They demand global thinking! Global Studies majors have spread across the world to contribute to these and other issues in a wide range of careers. They are engaged in an astounding variety of consequential undertakings.

As an anthropologist who was drawn to my research through intricate global connections when I was a wide-eyed undergraduate in the Midwest—in my case, links between activist solidary communities in United States and in Central America—I believe that the approaches we take in Global Studies are absolutely crucial for a sustainable future. My own work has focused on human rights, liberalism, and democracy movements, concerns I know a number of Global Studies majors share.

If you’re a Global Studies major, or considering it, you already know: Everything is connected! No single disciplinary perspective can fully explain or address contemporary challenges. Rather, to understand the social, economic, environmental, political, geographic, cultural, and historical contexts in which all issues exist, we must creatively integrate multiple ways of thinking and acting. Our core principle, then, is that an interdisciplinary education, with applied skills such as language, research and writing, and experiential learning, is critical for the 21st century. We have designed this major to ensure that our graduates are prepared to excel, whatever their calling—now and into the future.

I am honored to be part of the GLBL Team: Associate Director Dr. Timothy Wedig, and staff members Drs. Valeria Bonatti, Charles Fogelman and David Schrag, CM Alvarez and office administrator Chandre Johnson. They run a remarkable program. I am in awe of them—all the teaching staff have been consistently ranked “excellent” by their students. And our academic advising gets top ranks on the annual survey of graduating seniors.

One bit of semi-new news: Since last December, we have been part of the Illinois Global Institute (IGI) and have moved all our offices to Coble Hall. Established in 2019, Illinois Global Institute is home to the area and global studies centers and thematic programs at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. These centers and programs develop global awareness and cultural competency through a combination of faculty research and professional development, curricular internationalization, student-life activities, international experiences, and outreach and public engagement.  

I am looking forward to working with all of you as the director of the LAS Global Studies.

Ellen Moodie

Director, LAS Global Studies