Center of International Studies

It was founded in 1951 by six scholars who came to Princeton from Yale Institute of International Studies under the leadership of the center's first director, Frederick S. Dunn.

The Yale Institute of International Studies had existed since 1935, but during 1950–51, ran into a conflict with the new President of Yale University, A. Whitney Griswold, who felt that scholars should conduct research as individuals rather than in cooperative groups[3] and who thought that the institute should do more historical, detached analysis rather than focus on current issues and recommendations on policy.

[4] In addition there was some personal animosity involved, related to Griswold believing that institute members had argued against his receiving tenure.

[3] Dodds used a metaphor from American football to summarize the events: "Yale fumbled and Princeton recovered the ball.

The second is research in specific problems of world politics with special reference to the foreign policy of the United States.

[8] The creation of the center was part of a group of such research facilities that came into being in the aftermath of World War II to pursue international security studies.

Subsequent directors of the Center of International Studies were Knorr, who served in the position from 1960 to 1968,[16] and history professor Cyril E. Black, from 1968 to 1985.

Continued funding from the center came from a variety of Princeton sources, outside grants from foundations, and from research-related federal agencies.

[4] Over time, the center's work developed into a multidisciplinary approach that used cross-cultural studies, and its researchers included not just political scientists but also historians, economists, and sociologists.

[5] By 1999, the center consisted of some sixty-five faculty associates, who belonged to several different departments within the university, and about ten visiting fellows at any given time.