Foreign-Area Expertise in U.S. Geography: An Assessment of Capacity based on Foreign-Area Dissertations, 1977–1991*

Interpretations of a decline in foreign-area specialization have raised concerns about the capacity of geography in the United States to serve the expected increase in demands for foreign-area expertise. An assessment of foreign-area dissertations awarded by U.S. geography programs over a 15-year period (1977–1991) fails to support the concerns raised. No significant declines, if any at all, are found for early career interest and research in foreign areas. Several caveats are warranted, however. Geography has lost three doctoral programs with strong foreign-area dissertation records for the period in question. Also, non-U.S. citizens, many of whom do not remain in the United States after completion of their doctorate work, account for a significant proportion of foreign-area dissertations. Various questions that must be addressed to analyze the capacity question more broadly are identified.