Father Robert Dowd joins Notre Dame International

As of February 1, Rev. Robert Dowd, C.S.C., associate professor of political science, will assume the position of assistant provost for internationalization with Notre Dame International. His primary responsibilities will include leadership of the Dublin Global Gateway, Kylemore Abbey Global Centre, and the São Paulo Global Center; and future engagement with Africa.

Senior Assistant Provost for Internationalization Jonathan Noble will continue to lead the Gateways and Centers in Beijing, Hong Kong, London, Mumbai, and Rome. Senior Director for Internationalization Angie Appleby Purcell will continue to lead the Jerusalem Global Gateway and the Mexico City and Santiago Global Centers.

A Notre Dame graduate with a doctorate in political science from UCLA, Father Bob has served as the director of the Ford Family Program in Human Development and Solidarity for the past 12 years. His research interests include African politics, ethnic politics, and the relationship between religion, political institutions, national identity, and human development. He is author of the book, Christianity, Islam and Liberal Democracy: Lessons from sub-Saharan Africa (Oxford University Press, 2015) and several articles on African politics. He is currently focusing on research concerning religion and the integration of migrants/refugees in Europe and North America and the effects of faith-based schools on citizenship and civic engagement in Africa. The Ford Family Program, founded by Dowd in 2008, is part of Notre Dame’s Kellogg Institute for International Studies in the Keough School of Global Affairs. While assuming his new responsibilities with NDI, he will continue to direct the Ford Program through June 2020.

Father Bob will be a member of NDI’s leadership and faculty engagement teams. Welcome, Father Bob, to Notre Dame International!