Welcome New Scholars

Dear SIPA Community,

I am thrilled to announce the appointment of two distinguished scholars to SIPA’s faculty: Cesar Zucco, who joined us this semester as the Lemann Family Foundation Professor of Brazilian Studies and Professor of International and Public Affairs; and Jonathan Dekel-Chen, the Rabbi Edward Sandrow Chair in Soviet and East European Jewry at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, who will join SIPA as a visiting professor in July 2026.

Cesar is a renowned scholar of comparative politics, with a particular focus on voting behavior, ideology, and political economy in Latin America. He holds a joint appointment with Columbia’s Department of Political Science and teaches courses on poverty and inequality, with a focus on Brazil. He previously served as a professor of politics and public policy at FGV/EBAPE (Escola Brasileira de Administração Pública e de Empresas/The Brazilian School of Public and Business Administration) in Rio de Janeiro and as an assistant professor at Rutgers University.

Jonathan’s deep expertise in modern Jewish history, nonstate diplomacy, transnational philanthropy and advocacy, agrarian history, and migration will contribute to the curricula of both SIPA and the Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies (IIJS), where he will teach a course for undergraduates. His courses at SIPA will explore the intersection of Jewish legacies in Eastern Europe with the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, Russia’s engagement in the Middle East since the 18th century, and a study of modern Israel from multiple perspectives. He will also lead a series of workshops and roundtables through SIPA’s Institute of Global Politics (IGP).

It’s hard to think of two scholars whose work is more relevant to the current policy debates of today. We are so lucky to have Cesar and Jonathan here at SIPA, and I know that our students will benefit immensely from their unique perspectives in the classroom.

For more information about their faculty appointments, backgrounds, and coursework, please see Cesar and Jonathan’s SIPA News announcements here and here.

Thank you.

Warmly,

Keren Yarhi-Milo
Dean, School of International and Public Affairs
Adlai E. Stevenson Professor of International Relations