Specialist Advisory Group for Area Studies

About the Specialist Advisory Group for Area Studies

The purpose of the Area Studies Specialist Group is to advise on the learning and teaching needs of their area, and on promoting and developing co-operation, innovation and good practices. They have particular regard for:

a) Content, design and organisation of the curriculum, and the methodology of teaching, learning and assessment, including the application of communication and information technology, open and distance learning, Web-based environments and self-access resources.

b) Learning resources, student support and guidance, including residence abroad, key skills, intercultural competence, resources management, diverse learning needs and student support.

c) Quality assurance, progression, achievement and certification, including benchmarking and staff development.

Convening the Group

The Chair of the Area Studies Group is Dick Ellis, who is responsible to the Director for establishing and maintaining the Group, as well as providing advice and recommendations on a programme of activities in the subject area.

The Group is supported by John Canning (Academic Co-ordinator Area Studies) who is responsible for ensuring the Group's programme of activities is implemented. The Group reflects, as fully as possible, the full range of the discipline.

All those interested in area studies are invited to join our mailing list and to make contributions in the form of news, resources, information, contacts which can be disseminated through our web pages and mailing lists.

To join our Area Studies mailing list please send a message to llas@soton.ac.uk

Group Members 

  • Sarah Bowskill, Hispanic Studies, Swansea University (Latin American Studies)
  • Tony Chafer, School of Languages and Area Studies, University of Portsmouth (French Studies)
  • Jude Davies, School of Cultural Studies, University of Winchester (American Studies)
  • Michael Derham, School of Modern Languages, University of Northumbria (Spanish/ Latin American Studies)
  • Dick Ellis, Department of American and Canadian Studies, University of Birmingham (Chair)
  • Chris Flood, Political, International and Policy Studies, University of Surrey (European Studies)
  • Marie-Annick Gournet, Department of Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies, University of the West of England (Caribbean Studies)
  • Susan Hodgett, School of Sociology and Applied Social Studies, University of Ulster (Canadian Studies)
  • Peter Matanle, School of East Asian Studies, University of Sheffield (Japanese/ East Asian Studies)  
  • Insa Nolte, Centre of West African Studies, University of Birmingham (African Studies)
  • David Shepherd, School of Modern Languages and Linguistics, University of Sheffield (East European Studies)
  • Mike Smith, School of Law and Social Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University (European Studies)
  • Carole Spary, Department of Politics and International Studies, University of Warwick (South Asian Studies)
  • Barbara Zollner, School of Continuing Education, Birkbeck College (Middle East/ Islamic Studies)

Dates and minutes of meetings
Date Location Documents (rtf)
16 December 2008 Woburn House, London Minutes (64Kb)
23 June 2008 Woburn House, London Minutes (44Kb)
15 June 2007 Stewart House, London Minutes (39Kb)
14 December 2006 Senate House, London Minutes (43Kb)
26 January 2006 University of Birmingham Minutes (40Kb)
11 May 2005 University of Birmingham Minutes (35Kb)
10 May 2004 CILT, London Minutes (42Kb)
22 January 2001 CILT, London Minutes (48Kb)
20 September 2000 CILT, London Minutes (57Kb)

 

 

Downloads:

Area Studies Resources