HR415: Commending John N. Paden


HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 415
Commending John N. Paden.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 22, 2019

 

WHEREAS, Dr. John N. Paden, Robinson Professor Emeritus of International Studies, with a special focus on Asia and Africa, has taught at George Mason University for over 30 years; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Paden has received his B.A. in philosophy from Occidental College; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Paden has received his M.A. in philosophy, politics and economics from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Paden has received his Ph.D. in politics from Harvard University; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Paden has received an Honorary Doctorate from Occidental College (2009) and from Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria (2012); and

WHEREAS, Dr. Paden has served as Director of African Studies at Northwestern University, Professor of Public Administration at Ahmadu Bello University (Zaria, Nigeria), and Dean, Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, at Bayero University (Kano, Nigeria); and

WHEREAS, Dr. Paden’s publications include: Religion and Political Culture in Kano (winner of the Herskovits Prize); The African Experience (four volumes); Black Africa: A Comparative Handbook; Understanding Black Africa: Data and Analysis of Social Change and Nation Building; Values, Identities, and National Integration: Empirical Research in Africa; and Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto: Values and Leadership in Nigeria; his book Muslim Civic Cultures and Conflict Resolution: The Challenge of Democratic Federalism in Nigeria was published by the Brookings Institution in 2005; his book with the Institute of Peace is entitled: Faith and Politics in Nigeria: Nigeria as a Pivotal State in the Muslim World (2008); his book Postelection Conflict Management in Nigeria: The Challenge of National Unity (2012) was published by the George Mason University School of Conflict Analysis and Resolution; his latest book, Muhammadu Buhari: The Challenge of Leadership in Nigeria (2016) was published by Roaring Forties Press in Berkeley, California; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Paden has traveled widely in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia; he was part of a 15-year project to help establish African studies in China; during 2002 to 2006, he served on a senior-level task force at The Brookings Institution on “United States Policy toward the Islamic world”; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Paden is a cofounder of the George Mason University graduate program in International Commerce and Policy, and is cofounder/co-director of the Center for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation; he has served as director of the summer graduate program in China, focusing on socio-economic changes and cross-cultural trade strategies, and participated in the summer trade programs in Oxford and Geneva. He serves on doctoral committees in Economics, Public Policy, and Conflict Analysis and Resolution; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Paden has developed and taught broad-gauged courses, including freshman seminars (“The nature of the non-western world” and “The idea of the nation state”), sophomore honors seminars (“Cross-cultural perspectives: understanding the giants of Asia and Africa”), and upper-division courses (“Religion and Post-modernism,” “Political Culture and Leadership,” “Cultural Dimensions of Globalization,” and “The Globalization Debates”); he has helped develop undergraduate minors in Asia Pacific Studies, Islamic Studies, and Afro-American and African Studies; and he has served on the undergraduate General Education committee, with a focus on the requirement in global understanding; and

WHEREAS, in terms of outreach and community service, Dr. Paden has served as an international monitor with the United States Delegation during the Nigerian presidential elections in 1999 (Kaduna), 2003 (Kano), and 2007 (Katsina); he was part of a team which helped plan the new Nigerian federal capital at Abuja; he has served on review panels at the United States Institute of Peace and participated in the Nigeria Working Group, Council on Foreign Relations, and the Nigerian Working Group, Center for Strategic and International Studies; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Paden has donated his personal library to George Mason University, and the Provost and the Dean of Libraries have named a portion of Fenwick Library “The John N. Paden Nigeria & Africa Library”; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Paden has retired but stays in the forefront of undergraduate and graduate education; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Dr. John N. Paden, Professor Emeritus, hereby be commended for his service to George Mason University and the Commonwealth of Virginia; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Dr. John N. Paden as an expression of the House of Delegates’ respect and admiration for his service, leadership, and success.

HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 415

Offered February 21, 2019
Commending John N. Paden
Patron-- Hugo

WHEREAS, Dr. John N. Paden, Robinson Professor Emeritus of International Studies, with a special focus on Asia and Africa has taught at George Mason University for over 30 years; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Paden has received his B.A. in philosophy from Occidental College; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Paden has received his M.A. in philosophy, politics and economics from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Paden has received his Ph.D. in politics from Harvard University; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Paden has received an Honorary Doctorate from Occidental College (2009) and also from Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria (2012); and

WHEREAS, Dr. Paden has served as Director of African Studies at Northwestern University, Professor of Public Administration at Ahmadu Bello University (Zaria, Nigeria), and Dean, Faculty of Social and Management Sciences, at Bayero University (Kano, Nigeria); and

WHEREAS, Dr. Paden’s publications include: Religion and Political Culture in Kano (winner of the Herskovits Prize); The African Experience (four volumes); Black Africa: A Comparative Handbook; Understanding Black Africa: Data and Analysis of Social Change and Nation Building; Values, Identities, and National Integration: Empirical Research in Africa; and Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto: Values and Leadership in Nigeria. His book Muslim Civic Cultures and Conflict Resolution: The Challenge of Democratic Federalism in Nigeria was published by the Brookings Institution in 2005. His book with the Institute of Peace is entitled: Faith and Politics in Nigeria: Nigeria as a Pivotal State in the Muslim World, (2008). His book Postelection Conflict Management in Nigeria: The Challenge of National Unity (2012) was published by the George Mason University School of Conflict Analysis and Resolution.  His latest book, Muhammadu Buhari: The Challenge of Leadership in Nigeria (2016) was published by Roaring Forties Press in Berkeley, California; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Paden has traveled widely in Europe, Africa, Middle East, and Asia. He was part of a 15-year project to help establish African studies in China. During 2002 to 2006, he has served on a senior-level task force at The Brookings Institution on “United States Policy toward the Islamic world;” and

WHEREAS, Dr. Paden is a co-founder of the George Mason University graduate program in International Commerce and Policy, and is Co-Founder/Co-Director of the Center for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. He has served as director of the summer graduate program in China, focusing on socio-economic changes and cross-cultural trade strategies, and participated in the summer trade programs in Oxford and Geneva.  He serves on doctoral committees in Economics, Public Policy, and Conflict Analysis and Resolution; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Paden has developed and taught broad-gauged courses, including freshman seminars (“The nature of the non-western world” and “The idea of the nation state”), sophomore honors seminars (“Cross-cultural perspectives: Understanding the giants of Asia and Africa,”), and upper-division courses (“Religion and Post-modernism,” “Political Culture and Leadership,” “Cultural Dimensions of Globalization,” and “The Globalization Debates”). He has helped develop undergraduate minors in Asia Pacific Studies, Islamic Studies, and Afro-American and African Studies. He has served on the undergraduate General Education committee, with a focus on the requirement in global understanding;” and

WHEREAS, in terms of outreach and community service, Dr. Paden has served as an international monitor with the U. S. Delegation during the Nigerian presidential elections in 1999 (Kaduna), 2003 (Kano) and 2007 (Katsina). He was part of a team which helped plan the new Nigerian federal capital at Abuja. He has served on review panels at the U.S. Institute of Peace and participated in the Nigeria Working Group, Council on Foreign Relations, and the Nigerian Working Group, Center for Strategic and International Studies; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Paden has donated his personal library to George Mason University and whereas the Provost and the Dean of Libraries have named a portion of Fenwick Library “The John N. Paden Nigeria & Africa Library; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Paden has retired but stays in the forefront of undergraduate and graduate education; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, that the General Assembly hereby commend Dr John Paden, Professor Emeritus, for his service to George Mason University and the Commonwealth of Virginia; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, that the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Dr. John Paden as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect and admiration for his service, leadership and success.