Trubek to lead global studies center

David Trubek will resign as dean of international studies effective July 31 to become director of the Center for World Affairs and the Global Economy at UW–Madison.

Trubek was appointed dean in 1990 by then-chancellor Donna Shalala and is currently the longest-serving dean at the university. He also holds the post of Voss-Bascom Professor of Law.

Mark Beissinger, professor of political science, will chair a search committee to find a replacement for Trubek. The committee includes faculty and staff from several schools and colleges.

“The university has taken more strides in international studies in the past decade under Dean Trubek’s leadership than in any period since the 1960s,” Chancellor John Wiley says. “We have maintained our traditional strength in area studies while simultaneously innovating in other areas. Dean Trubek has helped UW–Madison forge new links around the world, to the betterment of our faculty, staff, students and state.”

The university hosts more federally supported centers for area and international studies than any other American university. The campus supports seven area studies centers, a center for international business and a center for African languages.

The university has also created global networks of scholars to deal with multiregional issues. One example is the interdisciplinary Legacies of Authoritarianism Research Circle, funded by the Ford Foundation and UW–Madison. The circle links scholars around the world to analyze the impact of authoritarianism on people and societies in South Africa, Eastern Europe, southern Latin America and Southeast Asia.

Another area of innovation has been the promotion of partnerships with universities in several regions. The Asian Partnership Initiative has built strong ties in countries like Thailand and China. Similar relationships have been forged in Europe with support from the European Union and other governments.

“We have worked hard to create a truly global focus for international studies, not just regional,” Trubek says.

Trubek will take over the WAGE directorship from Donald Nichols, professor of economics, who will continue with WAGE as senior fellow.