SUBJECT:    Director of the Institute for International, Comparative, and Area Studies (IICAS) I am pleased to announce the appointment of Gershon Shafir as the Director of the Institute for International, Comparative, and Area Studies. Professor Shafir is a Professor of Sociology and has been affiliated with the Institute since its inception in 2001. Professor Shafir brings to the directorship a strong record of scholarship and service to the University community. Professor Shafir’s interests in critical issues in international and comparative studies make him well positioned to foster collaborative research and coordination on such topics in the Social Sciences and Humanities as human rights and international norms; globalization; violence, international terrorism, and genocide; international political economy and development; global migration; and international gender issues and movements. Professor Shafir is committed to strengthening UCSD’s international character and reputation by enhancing both our research and our education programs. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Interim Director William Chandler for his service to the campus as director while a search for a new director was conducted. Please join me in welcoming Professor Shafir as the next Director of the Institute for International, Comparative, and Area Studies. Arthur Ellis Vice Chancellor for Research