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HATTIESBURG, Miss. -- Dr. Bob Press, assistant professor of political science at The University of Southern Mississippi, has amassed a considerable repository of research on human rights movements in developing countries.
Thanks to a Fulbright Scholar grant, Press will make his third expedition to Africa, in hopes of not only broadening that repository, but also of leaving something behind that will benefit the community.
The Fulbright grant will help fund Press’s 10-month residency in Sierra Leone, a country that is still reconciling from a decade-long civil war that ignited in 1991. During his residency in the country, Press will join the University of Sierra Leone as a visiting professor. In addition to teaching courses in comparative politics, methodology and international studies, he also will assist the university’s administration in launching the Peace and Conflict Studies Center. Advancing education in these areas is vital, Press said, because social relations in the country are still tense from the “echoes of the civil war.” He hopes that by sharing resources from his research experience in human rights, he will be able to contribute to the reconciliation process. “It’s actually very humbling to have the opportunity to be able to do something useful like this,” Press said. “I didn’t want to go to Sierra Leone merely to gather information that would benefit my career; I wanted to do something that would also be beneficial to the natives of the country.” In addition to his residency at the university, Press will be conducting interviews with citizens who were affected by the civil war as part of his human rights research. According to Press, the research is a continuation of studies he has conducted in neighboring countries, namely Kenya and Liberia, which also have witnessed severe social movements over recent decades. “During the conflict in Sierra Leone, there was a strong wave of political activism in the capital,” Press said. “My goal for the research is to analyze that activism by talking to people who were involved in it and learning about the strategies they used and why they used them.” Press is among 800 United States faculty and professionals chosen to lecture, do research or participate in seminars in 140 countries as part of the Fulbright Scholars Program. Scholars are selected for academic achievement and leadership qualities. Dr. Denise von Herrmann, interim dean of the College of Arts and Letters, says she anticipates a productive voyage by Press. “The Fulbright grant is an opportunity for a faculty member to make significant advancements in their discipline,” von Herrmann said. “I know that Bob is truly deserving of this opportunity to continue his interest in human rights research, and we will be eager to hear him share about his experiences in Sierra Leone.” Since its establishment in 1946 under legislation introduced by the late Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas, the program has provided about 279,500 people with educational and exchange opportunities. Press has been a member of the Political Science faculty since 2003. His area of concentration is Africa and Latin America, including human rights, social movements, development and democratization. He served as Bureau Chief of the Christian Science Monitor in Kenya from 1987-1995 and has recently published a book entitled Peaceful Resistance: Advancing Human Rights and Democratic Freedoms (Ashgate 2006).
Dr. Bob Press (Photo by Angela Kilcrease)
Dr. Bob Press, speaking to class members recently, has been awarded a Fulbright Scholar rant to further research in human rights. (Southern Miss Photo by Angela Kilcrease)About The University of Southern Mississippi
The University of Southern Mississippi, founded in 1910, is a comprehensive doctoral and research-extensive university fulfilling its mission of being a leading university in engaging and empowering individuals to transform lives and communities. In a tradition of leadership for student development, Southern Miss is educating a 21st century work force providing intellectual capital, cultural enrichment and innovation to Mississippi and the world. Southern Miss is located in Hattiesburg, Miss., with an additional campus and teaching and research sites on the Mississippi Gulf Coast; further information is found at www.usm.edu.
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