W. Van Alan Clark '41 Third Century Professor in the Social Sciences, Chair of Global Studies
email413-597-3343
Schapiro Hall Rm 340
At Williams since 1989
Education
B.A. State University of New York, Purchase (1979)
M.A. University of Wisconsin, Madison, Political Science (1981)
Ph.D. University of Wisconsin, Madison, Political Science (1986)
M.A. University of Wisconsin, Madison, Political Science (1981)
Ph.D. University of Wisconsin, Madison, Political Science (1986)
Areas of Expertise
In recent years my writing and research have focused on ancient Chinese philosophy. I made a first foray into this field with my last book, Aidan’s Way. And my current book Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Dao: Ancient Chinese Thought in Modern American Life, explores applications of Confucian and Daoist ideas to contemporary issues. This work is aimed at a general audience, as are a series of op-ed I wrote for China Daily from 2006-2007, some of which can be found here.
I blog on ancient Chinese thought at The Useless Tree.
Courses
Note: courses in gray are not offered this academic year.