With deep sadness, we share that our esteemed colleague, Nicolas van de Walle (Cornell University), passed away on July 15, 2024. Nic was one of the most highly regarded and accomplished members of our community. In addition to leaving a legacy in the field of African politics, Nic will be remembered as a kind, generous, and dedicated person.
After obtaining his Ph.D from Princeton University, Nic started his academic career at Michigan State University. He joined the Department of Government at Cornell University in 2004, where he stayed ever since. His scholarship focused on the political economy of development, democratization, and the politics of economic reform.
Nic was a stellar and prolific scholar who contributed immensely to the field of African politics. His most influential books included Democratic Experiments in Africa: Regime Transitions in Comparative Perspective (with Michael Bratton), and African Economies and the Politics of Permanent Crisis, which earned the APSA Luebbert Award for best work in Comparative Politics. Recently, Nic released Electoral Politics in Africa since 1990: Continuity and Change (with Jaimie Bleck) and co-edited Democratic Backsliding in Africa? Autocratization, Resilience, and Contention(with Leo Arriola and Lise Rakner). Several other titles on leadership succession, the impact of aid, and the political economy of African development also appeared. In addition, he published numerous articles in prestigious journals, and was the Africa books reviewer for Foreign Affairs, offering perspective on hundreds of titles in the field over many years.
Nic was also a beloved colleague and friend. Some of us were fortunate to know him for decades. Nic was deeply curious, intellectually vibrant, and incisive. His energy and productivity were impressive, yet he was also accessible and modest. He had strong critical faculties and innate scepticism about received wisdom or sloppy arguments. While he could express private reservations about some work, he was unfailingly civil and collegial in his public comments. His critiques and observations came from a place of generosity. For those of us in the profession, his service and leadership were also inspiring. One of the perks of academic life is the opportunity to travel for conferences, research and presentations. Nic was always available for a meal, a drink, or an outing, and the time together was full of laughter and good conversation. His satisfaction in his family and devotion to friends were apparent. Although he had health challenges at moments, these were often private and never dimmed his fellowship.
Nic van de Walle was an inspiring teacher who cared deeply about his students and their academic success. At Cornell, he taught classes such as African Politics, Historical Analysis, and, notably, Introduction to Comparative Politics, which he loved to teach because it was the first time students got to learn about the world. When he felt that students were not quite getting something, he showed heartfelt concerns and did not hesitate to redesign a lecture at the last minute. During the pandemic, Nic was so worried about his students’ well-being during his virtual class that he went out of his way to incorporate music and videos to generate more student investments. His undergraduate students often praised him for his kindness, compassion, and loved hearing his passionate rants on horizontal v. vertical accountability in the Introduction to Comparative Politics democratization lecture.
Nic was also known for being an incredible mentor and Ph.D advisor. When advising, Nic let his students explore topics they were passionate about while providing the guidance and support they needed to succeed. Nic did not want his students to become a version of himself; he wanted them to produce “interesting work.” He also provided opportunities for students to build their profiles and promoted their work without taking credit for their success. His students will always cherish the memories of these two-hour meetings where they discussed — in addition to African politics-related topics — his failed fishing expeditions on Cayuga Lake, the chipmunk invasions that destroyed his blueberry harvest, his beloved grandchildren, and numerous fieldwork anecdotes. At the end of a meeting, his students often left with a long reading list, sometimes blackcurrant jam from his garden, but always a sense of reassurance and contentment.
The African Politics Conference Group would like to take this last opportunity to thank Nic for his formidable work, commitment to African politics, kindness, and joie de vivre. He will be deeply missed. We would also like to extend our sincere condolences to his wife, Michele van de Walle, two daughters, Juliette and Nadia, and the rest of his family.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Please read the original APCG Tribute online here: https://www.afpol.org/blog/tribute-to-nicolas-van-de-walle
