March 2, 2004

Elliott School Creates New Research Institute

By Tara Boyle

In an effort to increase cross-disciplinary research and bring together faculty members from different specialties, the Elliott School of International Affairs opened its first new academic research center in more than a decade last month.

The new center, the Institute for International Studies, was created to serve faculty members whose research interests may not be covered by the school’s existing research centers (the Sigur Center for Asian Studies, the Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies, and the Center for International Science and Technology Policy).

Associate Dean Harvey Feigenbaum, director of the institute, said that unlike the Elliott School’s other research centers, the Institute for International Studies will not focus on a specific regional area or policy problem. Instead, faculty members can decide among themselves the topics they’d like to research, and work collaboratively on those topics.

“I believe in being as inclusive as possible and encouraging our faculty to do what they find interesting,” he said.

Deborah Avant, associate professor of political science and international affairs, said the institute will be an important catalyst for cross-disciplinary research. “I’m hopeful that it will be a place that will help faculty collaboration in all areas of global conflict, cooperation and governance,” she said.

During its first semester, the institute will focus on several themes, including international development and women in international affairs. In addition to their research, affiliated faculty members will participate in public lectures, brown bag discussions and film screenings. Several visiting scholars are expected to be working within the institute by this fall.

The institute is partially funded by a Title VI grant awarded to GW by the US Department of Education, and will serve as the administrative home for GW’s National Resource Center for International Studies. There are only 12 such centers in the country, and GW is the only university in the Northeast to host such a program.

Send feedback to: bygeorge@gwu.edu

Related Link

Elliott School of International Affairs