Public Lecture: The 2016 U.S. Presidential Elections by Governor Dukakis

< 1 min read

YEREVAN, Armenia – On April 21st, the American University of Armenia (AUA) Political Science & International Affairs program (PSIA) hosted a public lecture led by Governor Michael S. Dukakis on the current US presidential campaign, the American electoral process, and shared experiences from his own campaign in 1988 when we was the democratic nominee for president. This public lecture was in the framework of his visit to Armenia, specifically as an honored guest of AUA, along with his wife Katharine Dukakis.

Being the son of Greek immigrants, Gov. Dukakis highlighted the similarities between the Greek and Armenian communities in America, especially when it came to striving for higher education and preserving cultural values. He also noted that just like many Diasporan Armenian families in America, his family had also been displaced from Greece, and that Greeks and Armenians share a very similar history.

Governor Dukakis studied law at Harvard University and served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1963-70. He was governor of Massachusetts from 1975-79 and 1983-91. Currently, Dukakis is a professor of political science at Northeastern University and a visiting professor at the UCLA School of Public Policy and Social Research.

Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia and affiliated with the University of California. AUA provides US-style education in Armenia and the region, offering high-quality, graduate and undergraduate studies, encouraging civic engagement, and promoting public service and democratic values.