He is a wonderful teacher with incredible experiences in India and the Middle East.

Amazing Prof, great guy.

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Great prof. very passionate, dedicated and knowledgeable about his subject. has actual global experience in India. lectures are very straight forward, interesting, but sometimes not helpful for the essay tests. very interesting books!

Great guy! He's interesting, accomplished and fun. He's the type of person to make up a question just to go and talk to him! Group tests and a wonderful sense of humor, along with great stories and experiences are reasons to take any class he's teaching.

He is very passionate about his subject, he doesn't mind helping out his students, and makes the lectures interesting. He shows films on lab days. For this class, he currently assigns 3 papers, which consist of your entire grade. He grades on curve, with 75% of the grades between A - BC.

Prof. Elder is a great guy. He's very passionate about the things he teaches and he is very helpful. This class takes motivation if you intend to get anything out of it though... take it for the knowledge and the grade will come easily.

Wonderful, I am so lucky to have this guy!

cool dude. he loves his work and is a very likeable guy. ils 209 is a fun course that takes little effort. only offered in fall this year so check timetable. very personal growth type class. interesting stuff. oh yea, lectures you dont ever need to go to cuz only things graded are on reading

Awesome guy who has been around the world and knows his stuff. Lecture not so fun in the morning, but has guest speakers once in a while (like the Dalai Lama's teacher!).

good teacher, he knows a lot and the info. is pretty interesting. the lectures are boring tho and there is really no point in going to them. the take home tests are kinda annoying and u dont really need to do a lot of the reading.

Material was way duller than expected. Great lecturer, and tests are group papers. The TAs were really disorganized so grading was really vague. In all, an excellent professor who needs to spice this class up just a little bit more.

I expected a lot more out of this class. I did learn quite a bit though so I'm pleased. Everything is graded super easy by the TA's. There is a lot of reading but you can get away without doing it.

It was completely unnecessary to go to lecture for this class, but I went anyway - partly b/c I am a nerd but also b/c he's got some really interesting stories and is a really inspirational guy.

Silver fox, indiana jonesish type character...makes class really interesting and the most accesable nice prof i'v had during my time in college.

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Great prof. Lectures not necessary for tests, which are take home, but he makes class fun and interesting, and teaches well. He is inspirational, and the best prof i have had so far. I would definitely reccommend taking one of his classes.

Great guy, who gives very interesting lectures and really knows what he is talking about. He made me want to go to class despite the fact that it meant getting up earlier than I wanted to.

Joe Elder is a ****! He's funny and although at first the class seems very difficult, once you get the take homes you realize it is not. Highly recommend this class, for 4 credits all you have to do is write 3 take homes tests.

This guy knows his stuff. He is full of information on ANYTHING remotely related to 209. I highly recommend him, any course taken from Joe Elder will be an excellent one.

He's got some great stories and is very kind.

Easy class, easy teacher, if you want to take a laid back class take this one, just 2 take home exams and that is it, and the exams are easy.

Didn't need to go to class but wanted to because it was so interesting. Even the pointless videos still got me to attend. Don't have to take a final exam, just 3 papers.

Not difficult, but the nicest gentleman. You'll learn some. He is a legend in Madison.

Nicest man in the world. I stopped going to lecture halfway through the semester because they were early and you didn't need them to do well in the class. Do the readings.

This was an easy class, take it if you need some easy credits...I found the class to be quite enjoyable, and very laid back.

Very nice guy and a total legend in Madison and in his field. The lecture was early and pretty much useless, so sleep in. Just do the readings and you'll ace the 2 take-home exams. Easy credits.

He's very good - but his lectures are useless. I attended less than half and got an A.

Elder is a great lecturer. He has awesome enthusiasm and is very interesting.

Elder was awesome. Very interesting guy!

Probably one of the most interesting professors at Madison. He has lived everywhere and knows a lot about his subject matter. Going to lecture isn't necessary, but go anyway b/c he is so interesting. Great professor.

Joe is a great guy and very laid back. He likes to read right from his notes the whole lecture, which may at times cause the lectures to be boring. There are, however many interesting ideas he brings up. This class has a considerable amount of reading each week. The take home exams are easy and so is the class.

Only take this class if you like writing about philosophical topics. The reading gets a little heavy, with articles and numerous books. Good lecture topics, but exams are time-consuming.

Joe Elder has lived an incredible life and is the kind of guy who'd make a great grandpa, full of stories. So many Mondays I showed up to lecture only to receive a handout from which he read aloud during class: waste of time. What makes the class worthy are the discussion sections (try to get Robert Schoville) and what you're willing to put in.

Professor Elder is a very nice man who has real life knowledge on most of the things he lectures on. The enjoyment of lecture depends on your passion for the material. There is a lot of reading, but it is fine to skim over it. There were 2 short essays due a month(very managable) and the only 2 exams were take-home. Not a difficuct class to Ace

Elder was a great professor. His class consisted of three take-home exams, and everything you needed came in the course materials assigned for the class. There is no need to show up to class, but I really respected him and would show up for a few of his lectures just because I felt bad about skipping out. An easy 4 credit class.

Elder is good professer. He really knows the materials he teaches, although he does read directly from his notes. A LOT OF READING. The actual amount u have to do depends on ur TA, but definitely read the books, skim the course reader. 2 take-home exams take some work but not bad. Easy to get an A with some effort.

He made me like learning. Probably one of, if not the, best professors I've had. Just as simple as that.

This was the easiest class ever. I literally never went to class and still did well. Depending on who your TA is there can be a lot of reading, but I didn't have any.

basically the most amazing man ever. whenever me and my friends see him walking up bascom hill...its like the heavens have opened and he is being carried by angels he knows so much he chills with the dalai lama nough said

Delightful human being. You will find no better a person on the planet. No one should leave UW-Madison without taking a class with Prof Elder!

this class was nothing like the course description. intro to islam should be a prereq; we spent so much time going over the basics of it. elder is definitely a nice guy, but he is also a terribly boring lecturer. i had to force myself to attend.

This guy's the man. Lectures aren't particularly important, but I go anyway because they're interesting and personal. And, unlike most professors here, Elder is completely accessible. Great stories, great exams (take-home) and a thorough overview of Indian history.

Professor Elder has so many cool stories--really a cool person. His lectures can be deadly boring, especially when he decides just to read a hand out the whole time. Readings are usually interesting. Some weeks there is a lot of reading. Take home essay exams are very low stress.

Boring as all else, but deff. has some interesting things to say and his exams are definitely doable, I got an A on both without doing half the readings

Simply amazing! He's very accomplished and knowledgeable and inspiring to listen to. But I barely went to class because the 3 take-home tests were only based on the readings. Got an A by doing most of the readings, and spending adequate time on tests. Not much work, low stress, and 4 intermediate credits? take this class! Elder's great!!

Elder is truly a UW gem! He manages to make the content that a typical high school curriculum never covers interesting and easy. As noted earlier, it is not vital to attend lecture to do well. However, the content he covers in class IS NOT necessarily in the book. His handouts are amazing to use as sources, and listening to his lectures is a gift.

Easiest class I've ever taken. The papers do seem like kind of a lot of work, but they're super easy. Take home midterm and final. Joe is a little dry and reads directly from his notes, but it's still worth taking.

Good class. Six synthesis reports (3-4 pages long), with two 10 pg. take home exams. So, it's a little heavy on the writing, but overall a good class. Take if you're interested and have the time to write quite a bit.

This is the second course that I have taken with Elder. Like the other one (Soc 252), you don't have to attend class at all. I did not make it to class the last 2 months of the semester, and I still expect to get at least a B in the course.

Interesting class, but Joe pretty much read from his notes most of the times. Essays (graded by TAs) were actually kind of hard- sometimes the TAs even expressed uncertainty over them. Also, DOUBLE CHECK YOUR GRADE. My final grade in the class was wrong!! [no explanation provided, although it was changed in a few weeks after my efforts]

He is a very good speaker. Sometimes the lectures get long when he reads directly from the handout, otherwise lectures are fairly interesting. A lot of reading. Essay midterm and final exams. Very interesting.

Very Experienced

Very boring lectures. But he is an interesting guy and seems really genuine and nice. They lectures are just so early and they are completely unnecessary for your grade! I'd take the class...the workload is fine. Two midterms, no final.

Worst class ever. I'm a 4.0 student concerned about getting lower than an A/B because the grading in the class is totally arbitrary, the grader is a joke, and people who don't even come to lecture get As while those who work hard are randomly compared to "genius answers" when there's not even a rubric. Don't takethe class. If you do,writethepapers.

A boring class. Really boring. Exams are long and don't require any sort of independent thinking... just rattle off facts and you'll do fine. Elder is a nice man, but this class is painful. Grading can sometimes be arbitrary, so watch out.

He is very passionate about what he teaches, and provides us with a lot of information to write three take home exams. There is no final and as long as you read the material that relates to the questions, writing it up is not that bad.

Really good teacher, very knowledgable about the subject and a lot of first hand experience. Kind of a boring lecturer though.

Joe Elder is possibly the nicest guy I have ever met. The readings he assigns are tedious at times. Just pay attention in class (which you should attend because some of his stories are priceless--this guy is a living piece of history) and skim the readings and the take-home tests should be manageable. Highly recommended to take one of his classes

I'm pretty much convinced that Joe Elder is secretly superman in the guise of an awesomely boring lecturer. Good class! You can skip lectures but he tells some amazing stories at times. Take the class! Easy A. Rodolfo Elbert is the TA to have.

You want Rodolfo Elbert as your TA for this class. Articles can be painfully boring, but take home exams are laid out so you don't have to be too familiar with all the readings. Some interesting books, but lecture too early and dry to easily attend regularly. Easy A

Joe is fantastic! He is unbelievably knowledgeable and has tons of "real-world" experience. Go to his office hours and just chat with him. The class is easy. Exams are take home. Make sure you answer the questions and use evidence from the readings, and you'll do great.

Professor Elder is my favorite professor on campus. He is the most interesting, knowledgeable, funny man I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. He is clearly interested in what he teaches, and has a genuine love for humanity. He is the type of man I would love to have as my grandfather.

Professor Elder is amazing. He genuinely cares about the students and just wants everyone to come away from the class with an understanding of the topic. He is not a difficult grader, but you will still find yourself putting effort into the class because of how interesting and thoughtful he makes it.

A fantastic man.

One of the best professor's I had this semester!! I really learned a lot for little to none work!!

AWESOME, kind, funny man. He has traveled the world and has an abundance of wisdom to share with his students. Your grade depends on the strictness of your TA; I had Victoria and she was the best TA I have ever had, but definitely a stricter grader than the others. Also, the title of this class is misleading. It's more a philosophy/history class.

Very interesting class, Prof. Elder seemed to know about everything on Gandhi. There was no attendance, but he talked specifically to the take-home exams during class and therefore attending class was vital in my success.

Prof. Elder or Joe, is amazing! he really knows what he is talking about and you can feel how passionate he is about what he teaches. He is so helpful, and can explain anything in more detail. Great class!

Elder has soooo much wisdom. I would pay money to sit down with him and just talk for hours if he didn't have such an insane schedule. He's been involved in so much it's incredible. In lecture, he'll just casually bring up how he mediated a war between two countries like it's no big deal. If you don't mind a lot of reading, take this class!

Interesting material, boring lectures.

I took this class without really knowing what it was about and walked away happy that I had taken it. It's sort of like a history class, but it teaches the parts of history most don't talk about. Professor has had a really interesting life and is very nice, but lectures could be a bit boring/ straight out of the notes.

One of the most fascinating professors I've ever had. In the global cultures capstone seminar, he just drops these nonchalant stories about world travels that are mind blowing. Also genuinely nterested in his material, as well as his students. By far the most relatable, fair, understanding and interesting prof I've ever had at UW

I respect this teacher so much. All he wants is to spread his knowledge about India through the beautiful movies he shows and he really does appreciate his students. Can choose to write three 15page papers or three take homes and is a very flexible grader so long as you put genuine work into your essays.

Terrible class. The only reason I took it was because I thought it would count for 2 requirement, only to find out halfway through the semester that it didn't. The lectures are painfully boring and the course packet was really expensive. Joe Elder is a nice enough guy but I would not take another class with him

He was an interesting guy and gave interesting lectures. He is clearly an expert in his field and actually cares about what he teaches. I would recommend him.

Prof. Elder is a very kind man and a knowledgeable professor. His "LGBTQIA" vocabulary is a bit outdated... but he's also 86 years old. Regardless, I've learned a lot from this class. It inspired me to continue to take classes to get a certificate in LGBT Studies. Lots of writing, no exams. Fun if you have an interest in this area of study.

He knows a lot and lectures have a lot of interesting material but they can get boring, maybe because I took it early morning. This course has a lot of readings but nice contain. He is very kind.

What a great guy! He has a world of knowledge on India, and he has some amazing stories. Go in and chat with him during office hours; you won't regret it! Very nice guy. 3 exams, no final. Lecture can get boring, but it is not required.

Great Professor! He is one of the most interesting professors I have had here at UW. I took the class on a whim for humanities credits and it turned out being great! and a gpa booster is never bad either, all take home exams!!

Knowledgable guy, but confusing lectures. With his age comes knowledge, but also forgetfulness when it comes to changing slides. Easy in regards to the fact that you don't have to do the readings, and the exams are all take home. Mediocre class.

I would probably pay to have a conversation with Joe Elder. He's super knowledgeable and seems to be an expert is a ton of fields. The class is a pretty easy and the material is interesting. Elder can be a little forgetful - but who could blame him at 86? Great class, would recommend to anybody!

Joe is the sweetest guy. Go chat with him before/after class or during office hours; he is so warm and caring. It pains me to say it, but the lectures aren't necessary and can be very boring. However, he sometimes tells great stories! 3 take-home essay exams, no final. That is all you are graded on. Very easy GPA booster.

What a wonderful prof. Very nice, personable, and he has great stories. Lecture not required, and can get a bit dull. Absolutely talk with him during office hours or outside of class, about anything, your life, school, etc.

Amazing professor! He keeps class interesting, but sometimes the lectures can get quite dry. If you need to take a global perspective class I would highly recommend this class. There is 4 reading responses and 2 take home exams. No Final.