James A. Bill, Ph.D. ’61, HD’89

Jim received the College’s Outstanding Achievement award in 1998. He is considered to be one of the world’s experts on Iran. James was present in Iran during the time of the 1979 revolution. He has authored numerous books about Iran, the Middle East, foreign affairs and politics. He holds a MA from Penn State University and both a MA and Ph.D. from Princeton University. He taught comparative politics at the University of Texas-Austin (1968-86) for 18 years.

In 1987, he began working at the College of William & Mary (Williamsburg, VA), where he took over as director of the newly-founded Wendy and Emery Reves Center for International Studies and joined the department of government. For over a decade, Jim helped build and run the Reves Center, making it one of the country's top undergraduate international studies programs. During that some period, he also published perhaps his most well-known and important book, and analysis of U.S.-Iranian relations entitled The Eagle and the Lion (Yale); he was also asked to write the authorized biography of a premier American diplomat, George Ball: Behind the Scenes in U.S. Foreign Policy (Yale).

Throughout this time, Jim’s courses on Middle East politics gave undergraduates a deeper understanding of that fascinating, volatile and critical region. In 1998, Jim retired from the Reves Center and took up residence at WM, where he remained an active scholar and teacher. His latest book, Roman Catholics and Shi'i Muslims: Prayers, Passion, and Politics, he wrote with John Alden Williams and published in 2002. He retired from William & Mary in 2005.

James was awarded an honorary degree from the College in 1989. His brother, Richard ’62, is also an alumnus.

Last updated 12/17/07