Nannerl O. Keohane

Nannerl O. Keohane
Name	Nannerl O. Keohane
Birth name	Nannerl Overholser
Birth date	18 September 1940
Birth place	Blytheville, Arkansas, U.S.
Education	Wellesley College (BA), St Anne's College, Oxford (BPhil), Yale University (PhD)
Spouse	Robert O. Keohane
Known for	President of Wellesley College, President of Duke University, Political philosophy scholar
Occupation	Academic administrator, political theorist

Nannerl O. Keohane is an American political philosopher and academic administrator who served as the eighth president of Wellesley College and the seventh president of Duke University. Her leadership at these prominent institutions was marked by significant advancements in faculty development, endowment growth, and campus diversity. A scholar of political philosophy, her work focuses on feminist theory, conceptions of the self, and the thought of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Keohane is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Philosophical Society.

Early life and education

Nannerl Overholser was born in Blytheville, Arkansas, and spent her early years in Fayetteville, where her father served as dean of the University of Arkansas School of Law. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in political science from Wellesley College in 1961, graduating with highest honors. As a Marshall Scholar, she then attended St Anne's College, Oxford, receiving a Bachelor of Philosophy in 1963. She completed her doctorate in political science at Yale University in 1967, where she was influenced by philosophers like Judith N. Shklar and studied under scholars such as Robert A. Dahl.

Academic career

Keohane began her teaching career in the Department of Political Science at Swarthmore College. She later joined the faculty of Stanford University, where she became a full professor and served as associate dean of the School of Humanities and Sciences. Her early scholarship engaged with the Enlightenment tradition, particularly the works of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Denis Diderot. During this period, she also contributed to the development of women's studies programs and collaborated with colleagues like Hanna Fenichel Pitkin.

Presidency of Wellesley College

In 1981, Keohane was inaugurated as the eighth president of Wellesley College, succeeding Barbara Warne Newell. Her tenure focused on strengthening the college's academic reputation and financial resources, overseeing a major increase in its endowment. She championed the Wellesley Center for Research on Women and expanded support for STEM fields. Keohane also reinforced Wellesley's commitment to educating women for leadership, a mission aligned with notable alumnae such as Hillary Rodham Clinton and Madeleine Albright.

Presidency of Duke University

In 1993, Keohane became the first woman to serve as president of Duke University, following H. Keith H. Brodie. Her presidency was characterized by ambitious initiatives, including the "Campaign for Duke" which raised over $2 billion, and the strategic "Building on Excellence" plan. She oversaw the expansion of the Duke University Medical Center, the creation of the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, and significant investments in the Law School and Fuqua School of Business. Keohane also prioritized enhancing undergraduate experience and fostering a more inclusive campus community.

Scholarship and publications

Throughout her administrative career, Keohane remained an active scholar in political theory. Her influential book, Philosophy and the State in France: The Renaissance to the Enlightenment, examined thinkers from Michel de Montaigne to Rousseau. She has published numerous essays on feminism, leadership, and higher education, contributing to volumes like Feminist Theory: A Critique of Ideology. Her work often bridges theoretical analysis with practical issues of ethics and governance in academia.

Later life and legacy

After retiring from Duke University in 2004, Keohane served as a visiting professor at the University Center for Human Values at Princeton University and later at the Harvard Kennedy School. She has served on the boards of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and IBM. Her legacy is defined by transformative leadership in higher education, advocacy for women's leadership, and enduring contributions to political philosophy. The Nannerl O. Keohane Professorship at Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was established in her honor.

Category:American political philosophers Category:American women academic administrators Category:Wellesley College alumni Category:Presidents of Duke University Category:Presidents of Wellesley College Category:Yale University alumni Category:Members of the American Philosophical Society Category:Living people