James Reardon-Anderson (April 1, 1944 – November 27, 2022)[1] was an American academic administrator and scholar on China and the Middle East. He was the Sun Yat-sen Professor of Chinese Studies at Georgetown University, the founding Dean of its Qatar campus, and director of the Master of Science in Foreign Service program.[2] Additionally, he was the interim Dean of the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service from 2013 to 2015.[3][4]
Professor James Reardon-Anderson | |
|---|---|
| 1st Dean of Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar | |
| In office 2005–2009 | |
| President | John J. DeGioia |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Gerd Nonneman |
| In office 2016–2017 | |
| President | John J. DeGioia |
| Preceded by | Gerd Nonneman |
| Succeeded by | Ahmad S. Dallal |
| Interim Dean of Georgetown University School of Foreign Service | |
| In office 2013–2015 | |
| President | John J. DeGioia |
| Preceded by | Carol Lancaster |
| Succeeded by | Joel Hellman |
| Director of the Master of Science in Foreign Service Program | |
| In office 2002–2005 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 1, 1944 |
| Died | November 24, 2022 (aged 78) Dallas, Texas |
| Spouse | Kathleen Reardon-Anderson |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Williams College (BA) Columbia University (MA), (PhD) |
Reardon-Anderson was a graduate of Williams College and Columbia University.[5] He was the author of five books on Chinese history, including The Study of Change: Chemistry in China, 1840–1949, which is considered "the first full-length study of the history of a modern science in China."[6]
Early life, education, and family
editReardon-Anderson was born on April 1, 1944. He grew up in Farmington, Michigan. He obtained a B.A. in History from Williams College before earning an M.A. and Ph.D. from Columbia University in 1975.[5]
He was married to Kathleen Reardon-Anderson.[7] They had a daughter, Jane, and two sons, Peter and William.[1]
Career
editReardon-Anderson first visited and developed an interest in China in 1966, when he taught English in Hong Kong through the Williams in Hong Kong program.[2]
He then taught at the University of Michigan and the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies before serving as the director of the Inter-University Program for Chinese Language Studies in Taipei in the 1980s. Reardon-Anderson also led the C.V. Starr East Asian Library of Columbia University as chief librarian from 1982 to 1985.[5]
Reardon-Anderson joined the faculty of Georgetown University in 1985, where he taught history and the signature "Maps of the Modern World" course of the School of Foreign Service.[8][9][1] He led the university's Asian Studies program from 1992 to 1995 and then the Master of Science in Foreign Service (MSFS) program from 2002 to 2005.[10] He also served as the director of the Committee on Scholarly Communication with the People's Republic of China of the National Academies from 1990 to 1992, in which he oversaw a joint project between Western and Chinese scientists on the grassland ecosystem in China.[11]
In 2005, Reardon-Anderson became the founding dean of Georgetown's branch campus in Qatar, serving from 2005 to 2009 and subsequently returning in 2016.[12] During his tenure as dean, he led the joint efforts with the Qatar Foundation to protect migrant worker safety and welfare.[13] He was also the interim Dean of the School of Foreign Service from 2013 to 2015.[3][4] He transitioned to the faculty in 2017 and retired from his teaching at Georgetown in 2021.[14]
Following his death, the School of Foreign Service in Qatar, where Reardon-Anderson served as the founding chair, named its library after him. Additionally, Georgetown University created the James Reardon-Anderson Medal, which is awarded to the graduating student with the strongest commitment to Reardon-Anderson's signature course, Map of the Modern World. The inaugural recipient was Kiernan Christ, a long-time teaching assistant for the Map course.[15]
References
edit- ^ a b c Zheng, Adora (2022-12-02). "Revered Professor, Founding Dean of GU-Qatar, Dies at 78". The Hoya. Retrieved 2022-12-03.
- ^ a b "James Reardon-Anderson Obituary (2022) - Washington, DC - The Washington Post". Legacy.com. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
- ^ a b Gibbons-Neff, TM (2013-11-26). "Lancaster Diagnosed With Brain Tumor". The Hoya. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
- ^ a b Richardson, Katherine; Shrinath, Kshithij (2015-04-17). "Hellman Chosen To Lead SFS". The Hoya. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
- ^ a b c "Reardon-Anderson, James 1944– | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
- ^ Henderson, John B. (1991-08-30). "The Study of Change: Chemistry in China, 1840–1949". Science. 253 (5023): 1045–1046. doi:10.1126/science.253.5023.1045. PMID 17775356. S2CID 230862313.
- ^ "James "Jim" Reardon-Anderson '66". Remembrances. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
- ^ Lightfoot, Eric (2009-10-01). "Tone Down the Rhetoric: Rethinking Map Outrage". The Hoya. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
- ^ Casella, Adam (2009-09-21). "SFS Overhauls Map of the Modern World Course". The Hoya. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
- ^ "Georgetown University Mourns the Passing of James Reardon-Anderson (1944–2022)". SFS - School of Foreign Service - Georgetown University. 2022-11-30. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
- ^ Grasslands and Grassland Sciences in Northern China. The National Academies Press. 1992. doi:10.17226/1942. ISBN 978-0-309-04684-8.
- ^ Choi, Jueun. "Profile: GU-Q's founding dean returns with new ambitions for the school". The Daily Q. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
- ^ Philbrick, Ian (2015-01-29). "DC to Qatar: A Georgetown presence in Doha". The Georgetown Voice. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
- ^ "Retiring SFS Faculty Bid Farewell After Years of Exemplary Service". SFS - School of Foreign Service - Georgetown University. 2021-08-02. Retrieved 2023-03-21.
- ^ Tropaia Exercises Ceremony Booklet, Georgetown University, 2023, pg. 3