James Williams

Dr. James H. Williams is a distinguished academic and expert in international education at George Washington University (GWU).13 He holds the prestigious position of UNESCO Chair in International Education for Development and serves as a Professor of International Education & International Affairs.12

Academic Roles and Affiliations

At GWU, Dr. Williams has multiple roles:

• Director of the International Education Program
• Faculty member in the Graduate School of Education and Human Development
• Faculty member in the Elliott School of International Affairs1

He teaches graduate-level courses on various topics, including education and development, education policy in developing countries, education of marginalized communities, education in emergencies, and international/comparative education.1

Research Interests and Current Projects

Dr. Williams' research focuses on three main areas:

1. Policies to improve education in low and middle-income countries
2. Effects of education on conflict and social cohesion
3. Predictors of socio-economic gradients1

Currently, he is involved in several research projects, including:

• A longitudinal study of dropout in Cambodia
• A series of edited books on textbooks and national identity
• A comparative case study of higher education for development and social cohesion in Sri Lanka and Malaysia
• A study of US development assistance1

International Experience and Collaborations

Throughout his career, Dr. Williams has:

• Taught at Ohio University and J.F. Oberlin University in Tokyo
• Worked at USAID as a AAAS Fellow
• Served as Editor of The FORUM for Advancing Basic Education and Literacy at Harvard
• Been a visiting scholar at universities in Japan, including Nagoya University and Hiroshima University1

He has also consulted with numerous development agencies, including UNICEF, UNESCO, World Bank, and UNHCR, working on development assistance in over 20 countries.1

Publications and Editorial Work

Dr. Williams has made significant contributions to academic literature in his field:

• Co-authored or co-edited four books
• Published over 40 journal articles, book chapters, and monographs
• Guest edited special issues of journals on three occasions
• Serves on the inaugural editorial board of the Journal of Education in Emergencies1

His most recent book, "(Re)Constructing Memory: School Textbooks and the Imagination of the Nation," was published by Sense Publishers.1

Dr. James Williams' LinkedIn profile can be found under the username james-williams-7283b030.4