Emory Report

August 4, 1997

Volume 49, No. 36

Russian scholar Remington named
first Halle distinguished professor

Thomas Remington has been named the first Claus M. Halle Professor for Global Learning. Appointed by President Chace, Remington is charged with encouraging and supporting international scholarship and teaching throughout the University. He will play an important role in defining the future course of the Halle Institute for Global Learning that will be established this fall.

Remington will design and lead a faculty development seminar in comparative and international studies. The annual seminar will promote interaction among scholars from the various schools, produce published research and enrich the teaching interests of its participants. Plans for the seminar include international travel for onsite meetings, discussions and cultural immersion.

"Tom Remington has impressive intellectual achievements, proven leadership abilities and is held in high esteem on campus and in his profession. He will make invaluable contributions to the work of the institute," said Interim Provost Rebecca Chopp.

Remington and Marion Creekmore, vice provost for international affairs and the first director of the Halle Institute, met with Claus Halle to begin planning the work of the institute, which will focus initially on Europe and Asia.

"I am delighted to see Emory's strategy unfold for becoming a preeminent international institution," said Halle. "The new institute can play an important role in realizing this aspiration. I am very pleased that Tom Remington, a distinguished scholar with an impressive background in international studies, will be the first Halle professor."

Remington came to Emory in 1978. He specializes in comparative politics with a particular emphasis on Russia and the former communist sphere. In recent years he also has taught courses on nations and nationalism, democratic transitions and comparative representative institutions. Remington works closely with a European-based project aimed at strengthening parliamentary institutions in Russia and Central and Eastern Europe, and under its auspices he has directed several workshops for Russian parliamentarians.

"The end of the Cold War division of Europe is not only a turning point in modern history, it is also a challenge to teachers and students to understand the implications of the diffusion of democratic and market institutions and the rise of new political, trade and security partnerships within Europe and the Atlantic alliance," said Remington. "The new Europe is vividly manifesting both universalistic ideals of international cooperation and extremes of ethnic conflict. These changes pose tasks for us both in our academic teaching and research and in the policy choices we face as citizens. Mr. Halle's generous gift gives us a great opportunity to address these issues.

"As the first Halle professor, I hope to serve as a catalyst for a multiyear faculty seminar, which will study the new institutional architecture of Europe," Remington added. "We anticipate that these studies will bear fruit in teaching and research across multiple divisions of the University and deepen our appreciation both as scholars and as citizens of the changing forms of global integration which are transforming the world around us."