Denis J. Sullivan (PhD, Political Science, University of Michigan) is a Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at Northeastern. Prof. Sullivan is the founding Director of BCARS, the Boston Consortium for Arab Region Studies, supported by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. From 2020 through 2022, while on leave from Northeastern, Professor Sullivan joined Zayed University (Abu Dhabi & Dubai) to serve as Dean of the College of Humanities & Social Sciences (CHSS).
Sullivan is founding Director of the International Affairs Program, one of the most popular majors at Northeastern University. He also is the founding Director of the Dialogue of Civilizations program at Northeastern. Dialogues are faculty-led, intensive experiential learning programs (5-6 weeks in length). For over 25 years, Dr. Sullivan has led students and professionals on intensive study and professional development Dialogues to Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Spain, Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, Kosovo, and Greece.
Dr. Sullivan is the author of a number of books and dozens of journal articles, book chapters, policy briefs, and encyclopedia entries. Sullivan’s current research and policy focus is on forced migration and refugees, with particular attention to the Syrian refugee crisis and its impact on host societies, especially Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey as well as the Balkans.
Sullivan has been a consultant to UNHCR, the World Bank, USAID, U.S. State Department, U.S. Department of Defense, Council on Foreign Relations, and academic institutions in Europe, the U.S., and the Middle East.
Dr. Sullivan has received and managed grants and awards from Fulbright-Hays, Rotary International, Center for Arabic Study Abroad (Egypt), American Research Center in Egypt, National Endowment for the Humanities, Fulbright Scholars Program, Social Science Research Council, Institute for International Education, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Institute of Peace, U.S. Department of Defense, and the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
I have long treasured my relationship with Denis whose knowledge is deep and whose passion for experimental, immersive education we both share.
I had the privilege of having him lead one of our Institutes research trips to Egypt.