“Konstantinos Mitsotakis” Chair in Hellenic Studies, Stanford University

Established in 2005 at one of the world’s leading academic institutions, the Markos and Eleni Kounalakis Chair in Honor of Constantine Mitsotakis is part of Stanford’s School of Humanities and Sciences. Its purpose is to promote the study of Greek history and thought from antiquity to the modern era and to connect that tradition to major questions of political theory and institutional development.

The Chair supports teaching, research, and public programs that highlight the enduring significance of Greek thought and its influence on modern politics and society.

Areas of specialization include ancient and modern political theory and the study of historical institutionalism. The Chair is hosted by the Department of Political Science and collaborates with the Departments of Classics and Philosophy as well as the Hoover Institution, Stanford’s internationally recognized public policy research center.

The inaugural holder of the Chair is Professor Josiah (Joshua) Ober, a distinguished scholar of ancient and modern political theory and the study of institutional evolution, especially historical institutionalism.

Professor Josiah Ober at the Athens Concert Hall, September 12, 2017
Professor Josiah Ober at the Athens Concert Hall, September 12, 2017