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James L. Gibson, Ph.D., one of the world's leading survey researchers in political science, has been named the second Sidney W. Souers Professor of Government.
Gibson joined the Department of Political Science in Arts and Sciences July 1. He will be formally installed in the professorship at a ceremony Sept. 28. He comes from the University of Houston where he taught for 16 years, most recently as the Cullen Distinguished Professor in the School of Social Sciences. He taught previously for eight years at the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.
"We at Washington University are pleased to be able to attract Professor Gibson to join us as a distinguished member of our faculty in the Department of Political Science," Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton said. "Appointment to a named professorship signals his very high standing in the academic community. Endowed professorships assist in attracting and retaining the most outstanding faculty, and we are fortunate to be able to award the Souers professorship to Jim Gibson."
Gibson is a noted expert in judicial politics, political parties, the democratization of emerging countries, comparative politics, public opinion and several other political science fields. His teaching interests are broad and include courses on the judicial process, law and research methods.
"I am delighted that Jim will be joining our political science department," said Edward S. Macias, Ph.D., executive vice chancellor and dean of Arts and Sciences. "His expertise will fill gaps in our department as well as reinforce existing strengths, and I look forward to many years of working with him. His important research and great teaching will be a wonderful addition to Arts and Sciences."
Gibson earned two political science degrees from the University of Iowa, a master's in 1973 and a doctorate in 1975. He received a bachelor's in political science from Emory University in 1972.
A specialist in survey research, Gibson has examined such issues as mass behavior and democratization in the United States, Europe and Africa. His research explores why people think the way they do about political issues (especially political tolerance) and how such thinking translates into public policy and democratic reform. He is the author of four books and more than 80 articles, including publications in all of the leading national and international journals in his field.
Gibson is the immediate past president of the Midwest Political Science Association. Until recently, he served on the main policy advisory board of the National Science Foundation's Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences. He has served on the editorial boards of many political science journals, including a long tenure as associate editor of the Law and Society Review.
The Sidney W. Souers Professorship in Government is the second chair created by a 1982 gift from Sylvia N. Souers to honor her late husband and to carry on his dedication to public affairs and government service. Sidney Souers was the second director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.
John Sprague, Sidney W. Souers Professor in Government, was named to the first of these professorships in March 1997, succeeding Robert H. Salisbury, Sidney W. Souers Professor Emeritus of Government.
