Article

Wilson Center Mourns the Passing of Joseph S. Tulchin

February 13, 2023

The Latin American Program and the entire Wilson Center family express their deep sadness over the death earlier this week of Joseph S. Tulchin, who served as the director of the Latin American Program from 1990 to 2005. Joe came to the Wilson Center after a distinguished career at the University of North Carolina, where he served as a professor of history and director of international programs. Throughout his remarkable career, he taught or lectured in nearly every country in the hemisphere, and published more than 100 scholarly articles and more than seventy books.

Joe was a prolific scholar and generous colleague, whose ideas about Latin American politics, history and international relations shaped generations of students, colleagues and policy practitioners. He had a legendary passion for Argentina and for mentoring young people at the outset of their careers; many of these individuals have gone on to prominent roles in their countries’ political and civic life. Joe did trailblazing work on many issues still at the top of the Latin American policy agenda: citizen security, the fight against corruption and inequality, democratic strengthening, civil-military relations and urban studies. He played a foundational role in the creation of the Wilson Center’s Mexico Institute, and nurtured it in its early years. His vision and leadership will be sorely missed.

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The Wilson Center’s prestigious Latin America Program provides non-partisan expertise to a broad community of decision makers in the United States and Latin America on critical policy issues facing the Hemisphere. The Program provides insightful and actionable research for policymakers, private sector leaders, journalists, and public intellectuals in the United States and Latin America. To bridge the gap between scholarship and policy action, it fosters new inquiry, sponsors high-level public and private meetings among multiple stakeholders, and explores policy options to improve outcomes for citizens throughout the Americas. Drawing on the Wilson Center’s strength as the nation’s key non-partisan policy forum, the Program serves as a trusted source of analysis and a vital point of contact between the worlds of scholarship and action. Read more

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