Dr. Robert Pekkanen will be on campus Wednesday, April 7 to speak as Green Honors Chair for the Dept. of Political Science. The lecture, called “Democracy Comes to Japan,” will be held at 7 p.m. in Palko Hall room 130, followed by a reception.

Dr. Pekkanen received his Ph.D. in political science from Harvard University in 2002. Considered an expert on Japanese politics, he has published four books and numerous articles on the subject.  His first book, Japan’s Dual Civil Society: Members without Advocates, was awarded the Ohira Prize in 2008. He has appeared on PBS’ The News Hour with Jim Lehrer, and been interviewed by The Christian Science Monitor and USA Today.

Pekannen currently serves as associate professor of International Studies and chair of the Japan Studies Program at the University of Washington.

The Green Honors Chair program was established by the late Drs. Cecil H. and Ida Green and serves to bring a number of prominent scholars to campus each year.