Book review : An introduction to island studies

Abstract

An economic geographer by training, James Randall arrived rather late to island studies; but he has quickly established himself as a leading expert in the field. Since 2012, he has served as the coordinator of the Master of Arts (Island Studies) program at the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) in Canada, and was appointed in 2016 as UNESCO co-chair (with Godfrey Baldacchino) in Island Studies and Sustainability at the same university (renewed, for Randall only, for another four years in 2020). His academic textbook, An introduction to island studies, provides a comprehensive understanding and appreciation of island studies. Even if the main targeted audience are undergraduate students and instructors engaging in this interdisciplinary field, others who undertake research on islands, islanders and other island curious will all get a firsthand portrait of island studies and its many dimensions thanks to this timely publication. [excerpt]