International Studies in New Orleans

A liberal arts education traditionally has placed strong emphasis on all five of the main elements of "international competence" or global awareness: knowledge of internationally oriented information, the ability to see an issue from the perspective of another culture, appreciation of things "foreign," second language facility, and the ability to perform tasks in an international environment. More recently, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the telecommunications revolution, the emergence of a global economy, and, now, the war on terrorism have made international competence even more important.

In the late 1990s, the College established its internationalization goals in a document entitled International Initiatives: A Handbook and Resource Guide. The committee that issued this handbook asserted that "(W)e live, work, and study within a global context and . . . all facets of life are shaped by that context. To benefit both students and faculty, we must continuously integrate international dimensions into the core of academic life." With strong support from chairs, program directors, and faculty, we are working hard in pursuit of these goals.

UNO is ideally situated for the pursuit of international studies. New Orleans, historically one of the most important international cities in the U.S., has a reputation for its French and Spanish traditions, especially in architecture and cuisine. What is less well known but probably more important now are the extraordinary Latin American, Caribbean, Asian, and African influences that pervade the local cuisine, music, crafts, language, and cultural values. It is commonplace to overhear Spanish, French, and Vietnamese conversations in local shopping malls. Near the port area, numerous languages can be heard. Located at the mouth of the Mississippi River, the Port of New Orleans regularly ranks number one among U.S. ports for annual tonnage. The resulting exchange of foreign goods and culture make for an exciting context for international study.