R. James Long, Ph.D., has been elected vice president/president-elect of the Society for Medieval and Renaissance Philosophy. Dr. Long, professor and chair of the philosophy department at Fairfield University, will assume the presidency at the end of 2004.

"We are the only learned society in North America for those who specialize in the philosophy of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance," said Dr. Long.

The society was founded in December 1978 to foster research, organize scholarly meetings and conferences, undertake publications, and cooperate with other learned societies in projects of common interest. The initial meeting to develop the society consisted of 33 attendees, who agreed that medieval philosophy was not represented well at sessions held by the American Philosophical Association. The new society aimed to address that grievance.

Now comprising more than 300 members worldwide, the organization publishes a Monograph Series, as well as a twice-yearly electronic newsletter, informing members of upcoming conferences and the latest publications in the field.

Dr. Long has served as secretary-treasurer of the Society for the past 12 years. He received a Licentiate in Mediaeval Studies from the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies in 1966 and earned his doctorate from the University of Toronto in 1968. Dr. Long has published four books, including his latest, "The Life and Works of Richard Fishacre, O.P., Prolegomena to the Edition of his Commentary on the 'Sentences,'" published in 1999. Dr. Long has also authored more than 40 articles on medieval philosophy and is the recipient of numerous academic awards.

"Fairfield is pleased that the Society for Medieval and Renaissance Philosophy has selected Professor Long as its next president," said Timothy Law Snyder, Ph.D., dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Fairfield University.

"Given his zeal for medieval philosophy, Aquinas, and metaphysical scholarship and his gifts for placing philosophical writings of earlier times into modern contexts, he will keep the Society fruitful and lend vigor to its scholarly life," Snyder added.

With the help of a $170,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Dr. Long is currently completing a decade-long project to edit the works of the Oxford Dominican Richard Fishacre (+1248). He hopes to complete that project this year.

Posted On: 07-08-2003 09:07 AM

Volume: 35 Number: 329