BASIC INFORMATION
Title: Global Regions: World Regional Geography for a Globalizing World
Lead author/editor(s): Kris Olds (UW-Madison), Kramer Gillin (UW-Madison), John Agnew (UCLA)
Rebus Project Manager: Zoe Wake Hyde / @zoe
License: CC-BY
Target audience: Undergraduate college/university courses; primarily for world regional geography courses, but also targeting introductory courses on globalization, international studies, or area studies.
Subject: Cultural Geography
Target Release Date: Fall 2017
BOOK DESCRIPTION
This will be the first open world regional geography textbook for university courses, one of the largest textbook markets in human geography. However, the text will also stand out among its competitors for its overarching framework that explicitly incorporates the often unequal political-economic relationships that characterize interactions within and between world regions. In contrast to competing texts—which often simply carve up the earth into regions and list facts about each one in encyclopedia-level density—this book wrestles with how we define regions, justifies the regional divisions used in the book, and explains why the information provided in each chapter is significant to understanding past and present global political-economy.
After three introductory chapters to introduce the book’s framework, a series of ten chapters—each written by a different regional expert—takes students through the world’s regions. First drafts of 11 of the 13 chapters have already been written. Each chapter includes key concepts and review questions. We tentatively plan to add example case studies from other specialists with regional experience to bring each region to life and illustrate with more texture and detail the concepts presented in each chapter.
HELP NEEDED
We’re currently looking for collaborators to help with:
- Copy editing & proofreading
- CC image sourcing
- Locating data (to use for tables, charts, and maps that we will create ourselves)
- Feedback on draft visualizations (especially maps, figures, tables)
- Marketing/promoting adoption
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
If you’re excited by this project, but still not sure where you’d like to get involved, just sign up to the forum, and post below for project updates. Give us an idea of your background, particular area of expertise, and interests. We’ll follow up and make sure we find ways to have you participate!
RECOGNITION FOR CONTRIBUTORS
This project couldn’t happen without your participation. All contributing authors will be credited prominently in their chapter, the book, the metadata and promotional materials. All editors, reviewers and other contributors will also be credited.
OUTLINE
The Table of Contents is as follows*:
- Introduction: Producing and Circulating Knowledge about Global/World Regions (Danya Al-Saleh, Dr. Kris Olds, Kramer Gillin, UW-Madison
- Why Study Global Regions in World Regional Geography? (Introduction) – Dr. John Agnew, UCLA
- Global Political Economy – Dr. John Agnew, UCLA
- The United States and North America – Dr. Emily Gilbert, University of Toronto
- The European Union and the Rest of Europe – Dr. Alun Jones, University College Dublin
- Russia and Its Hinterland – Dr. Edward Holland, University of Arkansas
- China and Vicinity – Dr. Carolyn Cartier, University of Technology Sydney
- The Pacific Rim (including Japan and Australia) - Dr. John Agnew, UCLA
- Southeast Asia – Dr. Ian Baird, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Africa – Dr. Garth Myers, Trinity College (CT)
- India and South Asia – TBD
- From the Mediterranean to the Gulf – Dr. Adam Ramadan, University of Birmingham (UK)
- Brazil and Latin America – Dr. Brian Godfrey, Vassar College
*NOTE: Many chapters list both a region and a primary actor (e.g. a specific country) within the region. This is part of the “core-periphery” framework of geopolitical power that is used throughout the textbook.