Nikiforos Diamandouros
Encyclopedia
Nikiforos P. Diamandouros (born June 25, 1942) is a Greek
academic who was the first National Ombudsman
of Greece from 1998 to 2003 and has been European Ombudsman
since April 2003. He was re-elected as European Ombudsman in 2010.
Born in Athens
, he received a B.A.
degree from Indiana University
(1963) and M.A.
(1965), M.Phil. (1969) and Ph.D.
(1972) degrees from Columbia University
. Prior to joining the faculty of the University of Athens in 1988, he held teaching and research appointments at the State University of New York
and Columbia University
respectively (1973–78). From 1980 to 1983, he served as Director of Development at Athens College
, Athens
, Greece
. From 1983 to 1988, he was Program Director for Western Europe and the Near and Middle East at the Social Science Research Council
, New York
. From 1988 until 1991, he was the Director of the Greek Institute for International and Strategic Studies, Athens, a policy-oriented research organisation established with joint funding from the Ford
and MacArthur Foundation
s. In 1997, he held an appointment as visiting professor of political science
at the Juan March Centre for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences
(Madrid
).
He has served as President of the Greek Political Science Association (1992–98) and of the Modern Greek Studies Association
of the United States (1985–88). In 1999 and 2000, he was appointed member of Greece’s National Commission on Human Rights and the National Council for Administrative Reform respectively. In 2000, he was a participant in the Bilderberg Conference. Since 1990, he has been co-chair of the Subcommittee on Southern Europe of the Social Science Research Council, New York, whose activities are funded by a grant from the Volkswagen
Foundation. He is also joint General Editor of the Series on the New Southern Europe published by the Johns Hopkins University
Press and the recipient of Fulbright and National Endowment for the Humanities research grants.
From 1995 to 1998 he served as Director and Chairman of the Greek National Centre for Social Research (EKKE). From 1998 to 2003, he was the first National Ombudsman
of Greece. He has also been Professor
of comparative politics at the Department of Political Science and Public Administration of the University of Athens since 1993 (currently on leave). Diamandouros is, as of 1 April 2003, the European Ombudsman
.
He has written extensively on the politics
and history
of Greece, Southern Europe
and Southeastern Europe and, more specifically, on democratisation, state and nation-building
, and the relationship between culture
and politics.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
academic who was the first National Ombudsman
National Ombudsman
The National Ombudsman is a Dutch political office. The National Ombudsman deals with citizens' complaints against improper conduct of government and is appointed by cabinet on the advice of the House of Representatives .The National Ombudsman is a High Council of State....
of Greece from 1998 to 2003 and has been European Ombudsman
European Ombudsman
The European Ombudsman is an ombudsman for the European Union, based in the Salvador de Madariaga Building in Strasbourg.-History:...
since April 2003. He was re-elected as European Ombudsman in 2010.
Born in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, he received a B.A.
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
degree from Indiana University
Indiana University Bloomington
Indiana University Bloomington is a public research university located in Bloomington, Indiana, in the United States. IU Bloomington is the flagship campus of the Indiana University system. Being the flagship campus, IU Bloomington is often referred to simply as IU or Indiana...
(1963) and M.A.
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
(1965), M.Phil. (1969) and Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
(1972) degrees from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. Prior to joining the faculty of the University of Athens in 1988, he held teaching and research appointments at the State University of New York
State University of New York
The State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
and Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
respectively (1973–78). From 1980 to 1983, he served as Director of Development at Athens College
Athens College
Athens College is a co-educational private independent school in Psychiko, Greece, a suburb of Athens, part of the Hellenic-American Educational Foundation which also includes Psychiko College, although both schools are usually referred to as "Athens College"...
, Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. From 1983 to 1988, he was Program Director for Western Europe and the Near and Middle East at the Social Science Research Council
Social Science Research Council
The Social Science Research Council is a U.S.-based independent nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing research in the social sciences and related disciplines...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. From 1988 until 1991, he was the Director of the Greek Institute for International and Strategic Studies, Athens, a policy-oriented research organisation established with joint funding from the Ford
Ford Foundation
The Ford Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in Michigan and based in New York City created to fund programs that were chartered in 1936 by Edsel Ford and Henry Ford....
and MacArthur Foundation
MacArthur Foundation
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is one of the largest private foundations in the United States. Based in Chicago but supporting non-profit organizations that work in 60 countries, MacArthur has awarded more than US$4 billion since its inception in 1978...
s. In 1997, he held an appointment as visiting professor of political science
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...
at the Juan March Centre for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences
Social sciences
Social science is the field of study concerned with society. "Social science" is commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to a plurality of fields outside of the natural sciences usually exclusive of the administrative or managerial sciences...
(Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
).
He has served as President of the Greek Political Science Association (1992–98) and of the Modern Greek Studies Association
Modern Greek Studies Association
The Modern Greek Studies Association is a scholarly organization for modern Greek studies in North America. It was founded in 1968.It is interdisciplinary, covering language, history, politics, economics, society, and the arts of modern Greece, broadly defined.The MGSA sponsors the Journal of...
of the United States (1985–88). In 1999 and 2000, he was appointed member of Greece’s National Commission on Human Rights and the National Council for Administrative Reform respectively. In 2000, he was a participant in the Bilderberg Conference. Since 1990, he has been co-chair of the Subcommittee on Southern Europe of the Social Science Research Council, New York, whose activities are funded by a grant from the Volkswagen
Volkswagen
Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
Foundation. He is also joint General Editor of the Series on the New Southern Europe published by the Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
Press and the recipient of Fulbright and National Endowment for the Humanities research grants.
From 1995 to 1998 he served as Director and Chairman of the Greek National Centre for Social Research (EKKE). From 1998 to 2003, he was the first National Ombudsman
National Ombudsman
The National Ombudsman is a Dutch political office. The National Ombudsman deals with citizens' complaints against improper conduct of government and is appointed by cabinet on the advice of the House of Representatives .The National Ombudsman is a High Council of State....
of Greece. He has also been Professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of comparative politics at the Department of Political Science and Public Administration of the University of Athens since 1993 (currently on leave). Diamandouros is, as of 1 April 2003, the European Ombudsman
European Ombudsman
The European Ombudsman is an ombudsman for the European Union, based in the Salvador de Madariaga Building in Strasbourg.-History:...
.
He has written extensively on the politics
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
and history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
of Greece, Southern Europe
Southern Europe
The term Southern Europe, at its most general definition, is used to mean "all countries in the south of Europe". However, the concept, at different times, has had different meanings, providing additional political, linguistic and cultural context to the definition in addition to the typical...
and Southeastern Europe and, more specifically, on democratisation, state and nation-building
Nation-building
For nation-building in the sense of enhancing the capacity of state institutions, building state-society relations, and also external interventions see State-building....
, and the relationship between culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
and politics.