The fundamental role of the Global Studies (GS) Program at Colby is to provide an anchor for the study of international issues. Crossing four core disciplines (anthropology, economics, government, and history) and drawing heavily on the efforts of the language departments (two language courses beyond the all-college minimum are required), global studies offers a rigorous yet flexible approach to international affairs. The program’s underlying philosophy is that transnational issues should be examined through the lenses of several disciplines, so as to highlight the interconnections between these issues’ economic, political, cultural, and social dimensions.
The major was first offered in 1990-91 as International Studies and became Global Studies in 2011-12.