Faculty Study in Tanzania, Japan

Program enhances international aspect of curriculum

In the summer of 2003, five Knox College faculty visited Tanzania and eight visited Japan through Knox's Center for Global Studies. The academically oriented trips represented an expansion of the Knox International Initiative, a program designed to promote international experiences for faculty and an increased international dimension to the Knox curriculum.

"Until now, the initiative has focused on Europe," said Michael Schneider, professor of history and co-director of the Center for Global Studies. "We're now working to promote a wider perspective and encourage faculty study of Africa and Asia." Schneider has conducted research in Japan and coordinated Knox's study-abroad programs there.

While in Tanzania or Japan, faculty members pursued their fields of specialization with the aim of bringing new material into their courses.

The faculty members going to Tanzania for two weeks were anthropology professor Jon Wagner, political science instructor Sean Matheson, music professor Laura Lane, and biology professors James Mountjoy and Jennifer Templeton. Wagner, who has directed Knox's study-abroad program in Tanzania, led the trip. "Being able to take faculty from a variety of disciplines to Africa has given us the opportunity to bring back information and perspectives that have allowed us to expand our existing curriculum about this tremendously important part of the world."

Faculty going to Japan were educational studies professor Karen Gourd, economics professor David Gourd, theatre professor Ivan Davidson, philosophy professor William Young, chemistry professor Thomas Clayton and German professor Karl Heinz Maurer. The trip to Japan was led by Schneider and Japanese professor Mat Ryohei Matsuda.

The faculty participated in pre-departure seminars on a variety of topics. When they returned, they shared their experiences with colleagues and in public events for the community.

The Knox International Initiative was funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education.The Japanese portion received support from the Japan Study Program at Earlham College. The Tanzania portion received support from the Global Partners Project, an international curriculum development initiative created by Knox and 41 other liberal arts colleges, and funded by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.