Alfred Stepan (Ph.D., Columbia University, 1969).  His teaching and research interests include comparative politics, theories of democratic transitions, federalism, and the world’s religious systems and democracy.  He has published Arguing Comparative Politics; Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation: Southern Europe; South America and Post-Communist Europe (with J. J. Linz); Politics, Society, and Democracy: Comparative Studies (ed. with H. E. Chebabi); Rethinking Military Politics: Brazil and the Southern Cone; The Breakdown of Democratic Regimes (ed. with J.J. Linz); The State and Society: Peru in Comparative Perspective; The Military on Politics: Changing Patterns in Brazil.

Stepan was a Professor of Political Science, Yale University, 1976-82, Burgess Professor of Political Science, 1987-93, then served as First Rector and President at Central European University (Budapest, Prague, and Warsaw), 1993-96, and Gladstone Professor of Government and Fellow, All Souls College, Oxford University, 1996-99. 

Alfred C. Stepan is also a Fellow at American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 1991- present and is a member of British Academy, 1997-present.