Enhancing the interpretation of the "Greater Southwest"

In an introduction to papers from the 2003 Agricultural History Society (AHS) symposium, the author discusses the need for international exchange and contributions to the scholarship of a cross-border region that some scholars call the "Greater Southwest." Monographs from several disciplines dealing with this geographic area-the portion of southwestern North America that straddles the Southwestern United States and Northern Mexico-have often been specialized examinations that do not overlap in geography or time. Increased understanding of the region is becoming more imperative, and it recently has gained more attention from academia. This symposium offered a chance to add to the body of knowledge, plus have a venue where academics from the United States and Mexico could meet to exchange scholarship. The meeting also marked the return of an Agricultural History Society symposium to an agricultural museum and an invitation for public school teachers to hear current interpretations directly from scholars and museum professionals.