From the H i l l
\ faculty
On The roun
Guilain Denoeux teaches democracy in M ideast,
((
I
orth Africa
ne\'er wanted to be a n armchair political scientist," said Guilain
problems if I had n't consulted w it h the State Department," he said.
Denoeux, associate p rofessor of government. Instead, Denoeux
H i s research on legislation in the A rab world has resulted i n numerous
has deftly incorporated h i s main areas of expertise, i\ 1iddle Eastern
books, chapters and a rticles. Some of that i n formation i s con fidenti a l
and i\'orth African poli tics, with his three main i nterests-teaching,
and can't be divulged. " You know you've got t w o o r three ju icy stories
re earch and consulting. The result is a syne rgy of academics a n d
and you can't publish it," he said. "That's maddeni ng." Denoeux says he retu rn s from h i s trips energized, a n d he passes
political acti on. In add ition to professori a l responsibi l ities, Denoeux serves as a
that i ntensity on to his students. Nicole D a n nenberg Sorger '96 says
regu l a r consu ltant on democracy bu i l d i ng a nd U . S . policy to the
she was a lways i mpressed by Denoeux's abi l i ty si m u l ta neously to stay
C.
i nvolved in the world and rem a i n com m itted to the success of h i s
. Agency for I n t e r n a t i o n a l D e v e l o p m e n t (
C.. .
S A I D ) and the
tate Department. From 1 996 to 1 998 he helped the
SA I D
produce a democra t i zat ion framework for developing cou ntries. " I t's a methodology," a i d Denoeux of the 50-page plan. " I t lays clown the
"There's n o substitute in my m i n d for exposing stud ents to those w i l l i ng to make change i n c o u ntries."
students a n d rigor of h i s cou rses. " H e demanded far more t h a n my other professors, which I rea l ly a d m i re d ," she s a i d . T h i s p a s t J a n u a ry, D e n o e u x a n d P rofessor o f Fre nch S u e l l e n
ground rules o f how you m i ght
Diaconoff took 1 2 students to Morocco
get i nvolved."
and service orga n i zations. "This was a blow-your-m i nd ex perience,"
to
meet w i t h women's advocacy
S i n c e d e ve l opi n g the p l a n ,
said Diaconoff. " I t's the l iberal a rts experience at its fu l lest, and it would
Denoeux has been a team leader
not have taken place without Gui f a i n ." Through Denoeux's contacts
on assessments of Senegal a n d
the class i nterviewed major leaders and met the U. S . a mba ssador.
Lebanon a nd t h e sole assessment
"There's no substit ute in my m i nd for exposing students to those
con s u l t a n t for � Io rocco. T h i s
w i l l i ng to m a ke change i n cou ntries," said Denoeux. " You c a n t a l k
spri ng, w h i l e o n sabbat i c a l , h e
about women's change i n \Naterv i l le, b u t it won't matter. O n e of t h e
tra\'elecl to Bulgaria
rea l problems i n academics is w e have a d i scon nect."
to
work aga i n
as a team leader. H e w a s t o return to
Bulga ria
to
resume his work
in June.
Students in a democracy assessment independent study that Denoeux taught from 1 998 to 2 0 0 0 were f orced to breach t h a t d i sconnect between academic theory a nd rea l ity. Th rough a Ford Fou ndation
D e n oe u x
a
"Crossing Borders" grant Denoeux taught a dozen students the USA I D
"com p a r a t i ,· i s t " a n d j u m p s a t
fra mework he helped develop and then sent them abroad during Jan
chances
Pl ans and semesters. The students visited such countries as Zimbabwe,
to
calls
him elf
s t u d y other countries,
" h 1ch 1 m:lude I ra q . Tu n i s ia and J .,rac l . " I t\ eaS) to be a one-country
Boli,·ia, Chile and
e \ pe n ." he .,,ml. ·· But I t h i n k it\ a bo i m pm erishi ng."
people i n the field, think as practitioners and offer concrete ideas.
I n h1'> comult<lnt roles Denoeu\ ha-, gai ned access
ganda to behave l i ke consultants, interact with
parliament
"The students had a very i m pressive range of in terviews," s a i d
member.,, open floor debates, gO\ ern mem com m i t tees and m i l i tia
Denoe u x . "They a p p l i e d concepts t o r e a I-world situations. T I o w i t
member'>, ,1 11d th at acces'> ha'> <l'>'>l'>ted h i '> academic research. "There
changed t h e m was quite grat i fying. T t re Aects more on our students
i'> no \Ll\ I \\ Ould h,l \ e been .1hle
than me." -Alici(f Nemiccolo i\,- /(fcLe(fy ' 9 7
26
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.
M ,I [ R
ro
to
get i nto t he i n ner \1 ork in gs and