explore_amsterdam_and_istanbul - Western Illinois University

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Explore Amsterdam and Istanbul

Image of the Turkey flag and tulips with the text Study Abroad

Class Dates: January - March 2012 (exact dates TBA)

Trip Dates: March 9-18, 2012

Faculty Leaders: Joe Dobson and Phyllis Self

As the world has globalized, developing economies have been able to take advantage of accessing information through the internet. At the same time, the publishing industry globally has explored and exploits new technologies which have radically reshaped their industry. This course will bring together an exploration of the publishing industry and its evolution over the past 20 years along with various issues this industry faces as it copes with the challenges of information availability and accessibility in developing countries such as Turkey and an information rich country such as the Netherlands.

Approximately 10-12 students will accompany Professors Dobson and Self and visit various publishing houses in the Netherlands to gain firsthand experience of the publishing industry and the changes they have experienced since 1990 to date as well as their role in supporting the information needs of developing countries. The Netherlands is an ideal country because within short distances students will be able to easily visit small and large commercial publishing houses as well as university presses. From the Netherlands students will travel to Istanbul, Turkey for 5 days to gain firsthand experience of life and the needs of students, faculty and researchers and the struggles they face in obtaining accurate and up to date information in Turkey. Turkey has few if any publishing houses like that of the USA or Europe. They depend on reprinted materials and distribute these materials through small booksellers. This program will give students the opportunity to visit museums, art galleries, and see materials (incunabula and other artifacts) few if any students have or will see in their lifetime.