Fornieri heads to Prague as RIT’s newest Fulbright scholar

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A. Sue Weisler

Joseph Fornieri, a scholar on the political philosophy of Abraham Lincoln, will conduct research as a Fulbright ambassador.

Joseph Fornieri, associate professor of political science in the College of Liberal Arts, has received a 2009 Teaching Fulbright Award from the William J. Fulbright Program.

Fornieri will spend this winter at Charles University in Prague teaching courses in constitutional rights and liberties and American political thought. He will also serve as a Fulbright cultural ambassador, conducting research that compares Czech democratic ideas and institutions with those of the United States.

The Fulbright program, named for Sen. William Fulbright, was established in 1946 and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.

“I am incredibly honored to be chosen for this prestigious national award,” says Fornieri. “By increasing knowledge exchange and the understanding of different cultures and governments, we can fulfill Sen. Fulbright’s goal of enhancing global community and peaceful relations among nations.”

Fornieri is a noted scholar on the political philosophy of Abraham Lincoln. He is a member of the Lincoln Bicentennial Commission and his fifth book, Lincoln’s America: 1809-1865, has just been published by Southern Illinois University Press.

“I am proud to bring to the Czech Republic one of our greatest American exports—the political thought of Abraham Lincoln,” Fornieri adds. “It is also my hope that my experience in Prague will broaden my own understanding of the Czech Republic and will enhance my teaching and scholarship in the area of democratic ideas and institutions.”

The Fulbright Program is the largest U.S. international exchange program offering advanced research and teaching opportunities for students and scholars in more than 150 countries worldwide.