George W Downs

George W. Downs (1946–2015), a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, was a leading scholar of international relations, international security, human rights, international law, and public policy. He was a Professor of Politics, Chair of the Department of Politics (1998–2000), and Dean for Social Sciences (2000–9) at New York University. Prior to that, he had been a professor in the Department of Politics and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, New Jersey (1987–98). He was the author of Optimal Imperfection?: Domestic Uncertainty and Institutions in International Relations (with David M. Rocke, 1995), and The Search for Government Efficiency: From Hubris to Helplessness (with Patrick D. Larkey, 1986), as well as numerous articles in political science, law, and public policy.