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 A
visiting scholar from Pretoria Technikon, South Africa, Valiant
Clapper spent a year lecturing at Southern University, an Historically
Black University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, teaching classes at
the doctoral and master's level on Public Policy Theory, Critical
Development Theory and Sustainable Development. Clapper took his
Fulbright award seriously, devoting much time to academic pursuits
and promoting the ideology of the Fulbright program.
"It became clear to me while listening to Mrs. Fulbright
speak of the vision of Senator Fulbright that receiving and accepting
the Fulbright award placed one in a stewardship position of responsibly
confronting ignorance and prejudice where it may be found, and
respectfully promoting understanding throughout the spectrum of
human associations, from individuals to nations," explained
Clapper.
Clapper established a connection between his home institution
and Southern University, providing students in both countries
the ability to communicate with one another. "The program
enabled both groups of students to share experiences, successes,
questions, assistance, et cetera, pertaining to the challenges
that they face as students. It would also aid in the understanding
of what it is like being a student in the different countries,"
noted Clapper.
 Academically,
Clapper was quite busy. He presented his paper, "Trust and
the informed: musings on ITC developments and public service ethics,"
at a departmental seminar. Brown University, the University of
South Carolina and Kentucky State University also invited him
to present at seminars.
Two journals, The Global Ethics Review, hosted by Louisiana State
University and the Innovation Journal, hosted by the University
of Toronto, Canada, offered the position of guest editor to Clapper,
which he gladly accepted. "These are going well and promises
to lead to further cooperative efforts," Clapper said.
A book on South African foreign relations is in the works, as
Clapper has collaborated with his contemporaries at Southern University
to garner other academic support in the effort to explain the
current state of post-Apartheid South African foreign relations
and address issues and problems from different disciplinary points
of view.
"The foreign relations project promises to have a number
of important results in additions to the book, such as the development
of a web site where debates and discussions on South African Foreign
Policy can be hosted, where the post-publication book can be discussed,
and that can serve as a platform for the publication of an internet
journal on foreign policy matters," explained Clapper.
"I consider myself extremely privileged and honored for
having received this veritable Oscar of academic awards. I left
the USA in December to 2002 a much richer person, socially, academically
and otherwise," concluded Clapper.
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