Louise Richardson
Encyclopedia
Professor Louise Richardson FRSE (b. 1958, Tramore, County Waterford
) is a political scientist
whose specialist field is the study of terrorism
. Currently the Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of St Andrews
, she was formerly employed at Harvard University
where she served as executive dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study
.
where she received a BA and MA in History. She also holds an MA degree from the University of California, Los Angeles
(UCLA), and an MA (1984) and PhD (1989) from Harvard University
. She was awarded the Sumner Prize for the best doctoral dissertation "dealing with any means or measures tending towards the prevention of war and the establishment of universal peace."
, including the Faculty Council and various committees concerned with undergraduate education, the status of women, and human rights. In July 2001, Richardson was appointed executive dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study
.
Richardson's academic focus has been on international security with an emphasis on terrorist movements. She taught Harvard’s large undergraduate lecture course, Terrorist Movements in International Relations, for which she won the Levenson Prize, awarded by the undergraduate student body to the best teachers at the University. This class, along with a number of graduate courses on terrorist movements and European terrorism, were for many years the only courses offered on the subject at Harvard. In addition to the Levenson Prize, Professor Richardson has received teaching awards from the American Political Science Association and Pi Sigma Alpha
for outstanding teaching in political science; the Abramson Award in recognition of her ‘excellence and sensitivity in teaching undergraduates’ and many awards from the Bok Center for Teaching Excellence. After her 2001 Radcliffe appointment, she continued to teach, both at Harvard College and Harvard Law School.
In 2009, Louise Richardson was appointed Principal of the University of St Andrews
, succeeding Brian Lang
. Her installation took place on 25 March 2009. She is the first woman, and the first Roman Catholic in modern times, to occupy the position. She was appointed Professor of International Relations at St Andrews in November 2010.
Over the past decade, in addition to her teaching and management roles, Professor Richardson has given over 300 talks and lectures on terrorism and counter-terrorism to educational and private groups as well as policy makers, the military, intelligence, and business communities. She has testified before the United States Senate and has appeared on CNN, the BBC, PBS, NPR, Fox and a host of other broadcast outlets. Her work has been featured in numerous international periodicals.
Louise Richardson was elected to the fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2010.
County Waterford
*Abbeyside, Affane, Aglish, Annestown, An Rinn, Ardmore*Ballinacourty, Ballinameela, Ballinamult, Ballinroad, Ballybeg, Ballybricken, Ballyduff Lower, Ballyduff Upper, Ballydurn, Ballygunner, Ballylaneen, Ballymacarbry, Ballymacart, Ballynaneashagh, Ballysaggart, Ballytruckle, Bilberry, Bunmahon,...
) is a political scientist
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
whose specialist field is the study of terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
. Currently the Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
, she was formerly employed at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
where she served as executive dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study
Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study
The Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard is an educational institution in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and one of the semiautonomous components of Harvard University. It is heir to the name and buildings of Radcliffe College, but unlike that historical institution, its focus is directed...
.
Education
After attending St Angela's Secondary School, Ursuline Convent, Waterford, Richardson studied at Trinity College, DublinTrinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
where she received a BA and MA in History. She also holds an MA degree from the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
(UCLA), and an MA (1984) and PhD (1989) from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. She was awarded the Sumner Prize for the best doctoral dissertation "dealing with any means or measures tending towards the prevention of war and the establishment of universal peace."
Career
From 1981 to 2001 Richardson served as Assistant and then Associate Professor in the Harvard Government Department, teaching courses on international relations – especially in areas of terrorism, international security and American and comparative foreign policy. During this period she also served for eight years as Head Tutor and Chair of the Board of Tutors (Director of Undergraduate Studies) in the Government Department. She served in numerous other administrative capacities at Harvard UniversityHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, including the Faculty Council and various committees concerned with undergraduate education, the status of women, and human rights. In July 2001, Richardson was appointed executive dean of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study
Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study
The Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard is an educational institution in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and one of the semiautonomous components of Harvard University. It is heir to the name and buildings of Radcliffe College, but unlike that historical institution, its focus is directed...
.
Richardson's academic focus has been on international security with an emphasis on terrorist movements. She taught Harvard’s large undergraduate lecture course, Terrorist Movements in International Relations, for which she won the Levenson Prize, awarded by the undergraduate student body to the best teachers at the University. This class, along with a number of graduate courses on terrorist movements and European terrorism, were for many years the only courses offered on the subject at Harvard. In addition to the Levenson Prize, Professor Richardson has received teaching awards from the American Political Science Association and Pi Sigma Alpha
Pi sigma alpha
Pi Sigma Alpha , the National Political Science Honor Society, is the only honor society for college and university students of political science in the United States. Its purpose is to recognize and promote high academic achievement in the field of political science...
for outstanding teaching in political science; the Abramson Award in recognition of her ‘excellence and sensitivity in teaching undergraduates’ and many awards from the Bok Center for Teaching Excellence. After her 2001 Radcliffe appointment, she continued to teach, both at Harvard College and Harvard Law School.
In 2009, Louise Richardson was appointed Principal of the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
, succeeding Brian Lang
Brian Lang
Brian Andrew Lang FRSE is a Scottish social anthropologist who served as deputy chairman of the British Library and Principal of the University of St Andrews....
. Her installation took place on 25 March 2009. She is the first woman, and the first Roman Catholic in modern times, to occupy the position. She was appointed Professor of International Relations at St Andrews in November 2010.
Academic work
Richardson is the author of What Terrorists Want, a comprehensive and intellectually rigorous account of terrorism written after the 9/11 attacks. Other publications include When Allies Differ: Anglo-American Relations in the Suez and Falkland Crises, The Roots of Terrorism (ed) and Democracy and Counterterrorism: Lessons from the Past (co-edited with Robert Art). She has also published many journal articles, book chapters, and reviews on the subject of terrorism.Over the past decade, in addition to her teaching and management roles, Professor Richardson has given over 300 talks and lectures on terrorism and counter-terrorism to educational and private groups as well as policy makers, the military, intelligence, and business communities. She has testified before the United States Senate and has appeared on CNN, the BBC, PBS, NPR, Fox and a host of other broadcast outlets. Her work has been featured in numerous international periodicals.
Louise Richardson was elected to the fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2010.
Published works
- What Terrorists Want: Understanding the Enemy, Containing the Threat (2006)
- The Roots of Terrorism, Routledge, New York (2006) ed
- When Allies Differ: Anglo-American Relations in the Suez and Falkland Crises (1996)
- Democracy and Counterterrorism: Lessons from the Past, United States Institute of Peace, Washington DC (2007) ed with Robert Art