Since I sent my original message last week asking for assistance in
developing a list of the top LAS graduate programs in the United States, I
have received a number of insightful comments and suggestions. While I'm not
sure a "consensus" is possible on a TOP 10 list, I was given several
suggestions for further investigation. I continue to be convinced of the
need for such a list of top graduate programs in the country, but based on
your suggestions, I think I should approach it a little differently. Rather
than a comprehensive top 10 list, several of you suggested a more focused
look at the REPUTATIONAL/QUALITATIVE and QUANTITATIVE strengths of each
program, both at the disciplinary and regional levels. With this in mind, I
would appreciate your suggestions as to the top LAS graduate programs in the
areas outlined below. This reputational survey will be matched with
quantitative measures (e.g., number of faculty in the area/discipline,
rankings of the U.S. Dept. of Education Title VI National Resource Center
program, resource pooling by consortia, Latin American library collection,
specific programmatic initiatives, etc.)
DISCIPLINES INSTITUTION
Sociology
Political Science
History
Economics
Spanish (literature/language studies)
Anthropology
Environmental Sciences
AREAS
Mexico
Central America
the Andes
Brazil
Southern Cone
Caribbean Islands
If you have any other suggestions about disciplines and sub-regional areas
to include in the survey, please let me know. Once the information is
collected and the home page is built, I will post an announcement in LASNET
again.
Thank you for your assistance, and I look forward to receiving your
responses. Please direct all e-mail to my address below.
Gamaliel Perruci
Director, Latin American Studies Program
Birmingham-Southern College
e-mail: gperruci@bsc.edu