A Slovenian native remembered for his cosmopolitan ways and collegiality, Remec taught courses in international politics with a specialty in international law and international organization. He started at Fordham in 1954 and continued teaching until his retirement in 2004.

Political science Professor John Entelis, Ph.D., who was hired by Remec in 1970, recalled him as “a popular teacher” whose effectiveness stemmed not only from his deep qualifications in his field but also his personality.

“The old standard statement about a scholar and a gentleman, that was Peter,” said Entelis. “He was chair for at least six years, and he did an excellent job of being able to not just manage the faculty but get close to them. He would invite us to his home for occasions where he would have dinners and [there would be]an opportunity to get to know everyone on a personal basis.”

Entelis said that his daughter took Remec’s class years later and it “really encouraged her to continue on [to Fordham Law].”

Remec supported many Fordham students on their professional paths over the years, but his own journey had not been an easy one. He was born on June 28, 1925, in Ljubljana, Slovenia, to Vladimir and Helena (Pollak) Remec. In 1945, at the end of World War II, he and his family fled from the newly communist Slovenia to Graz, Austria, with what they could carry. While there, he earned a Dr. Iuris (Doctor of Laws) and Dr. Rerum Politicarum from the University of Graz before immigrating to the United States on the U.S. Army Transporter General C.C. Ballou in 1949. He was forever grateful to President Harry Truman for authorizing the use of empty returning troopships to carry immigrants, said his son, Marko Remec, and in gratitude remained a faithful Democrat for the rest of his life.

Remec and his family settled in Chicago. While there, he paid a courtesy visit to professor Hans Morgenthau at the University of Chicago, whose work he had cited extensively in his doctoral essays. After learning that Remec was working as a cake icer at Marshall Fields, Morganthau offered him the chance to study for a doctorate. When Remec told him he had no money, Morgenthau managed to secure him a scholarship on the spot, and Remec earned his Ph.D. in international relations.

In 1953 he married Majda Vračko, whom he had first met in high school in Ljubljana and then again when they found themselves in the same refugee camp in Graz. The couple settled in New York in 1954 and raised four children in Scarsdale—Peter, Alenka, Marko, and Tomaz.

Annette M. McDermott, S.S.J., FCRH ’80, recalled being advised by Remec as a young political science major in the mid-1970s. She’d come to Fordham from Massachusetts with dreams of interning at the United Nations, but internships weren’t common at the time. Remec told her if she could get someone at the U.N. to go for it, he’d allow for 8 credits of independent study.

“I remember he used to wear this tweed cap,” said Sister McDermott, now dean of religion and spiritual life at Mount Holyoke College. “He grabbed the cap, and in his robust accent he said, ‘If you get this, I will eat my hat.'”

Not only did she appreciate his sense of humor, she said, but also the fact that he took her seriously. Fordham had only been coed for a couple of years, and there were hardly any women in her political science classes. When she was offered a technical adviser position with a U.N. organization, she went back to tell Remec.

“He looked at me with a twinkle in his eyes, and he grabbed the cap and started shoving it his mouth,” she said, laughing at the memory. “He said, ‘You have your 8 credits.’” Sister McDermott went on to serve on UNICEF’s volunteer board, earn a master’s in public policy, and do doctoral work in political science.

“He just opened me up to the understanding of what an effective international organization was and what it was not,” she said.

Remec earned several international academic honors. In 1961, he received the Diplome of the Academy of International Law at the Hague, graduating cum laude. In 1967 he was a Fulbright grantee as guest professor to the University of Rajasthani in Jaipur, India. In 1976, he was a Fulbright grantee to Pakistan. Both trips focused on his passion for the law of the seas, specifically the Indus River water treaties.

A devout Catholic, Remec was appointed as an observer to the U.N. Mission of the Holy See in 1974. For his service, on May 27, 1983, Pope John Paul II named him Knight Commander of the Order of St. Gregory the Great. His son, Marko Remec, said that he liked to point out that one of the privileges of this knighthood was that he was permitted to ride a horse into the Vatican.

A skilled woodworker, Remec made most of the furniture in his New York home. He learned the craft in his father’s furniture factory in Slovenia. He was also gifted in languages; in addition to Slovenian, he was fluent in Serbo-Croatian, German, English, and Latin, his son said, and was “passable” in Italian and French.

Remec was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, two brothers, and his wife. He is survived by his four children, two brothers Andrej and Matija, and seven grandchildren. A burial service was held at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, New York, on Nov. 10. The family asks that donations be sent in his name to St. Cyril’s Church at 62 St. Marks Place, New York, NY 10003.

This obituary was written in part by Peter Remec’s family.
Photo courtesy of the family.

Richard J. Regan, S.J., a member of Fordham’s department of political science for 44 years, died on Feb. 21 at Montefiore Hospital at the age of 89.

Born in Morgantown, N.J., in 1930, Father Regan attended Jersey City’s St. Peter’s Prep and St. Peter’s College, where he graduated in 1948. Upon graduation, he studied for a year at Harvard University Law School. He entered into the Society of Jesus in August 1953 at St. Andrew-on-Hudson novitiate.

After completing his novitiate, he earned a degree in philosophy at Loyola Seminary in Shrub Oak, New York. He taught logic and metaphysics from 1957 to 1960 at St. Peter’s University and followed with four years of theology studies at Woodstock College in Maryland. He was ordained to the priesthood at University Church on Fordham’s Rose Hill campus on June 20, 1963. He completed his final year of study, or tertianship, at the Institute of St. Robert Bellarmine in Wépion, Belgium, in 1965 and two years later, earned a doctorate in political science at the University of Chicago.

He joined Fordham’s political science faculty in 1968, and would stay for 44 years. In addition to introductory courses on politics, he taught elective courses centered on constitutional law.

“Father Regan was a distinguished scholar of constitutional law, but equally important to his identity was his love of running and the daily long runs he completed around the Bronx botanical garden, said John Entelis, Ph.D., a professor of political science and former chair of the department.

“As a fellow runner, he and I would share the exalting experience of being outdoors, running long distances when often he would ponder the ideas for his next book. He was the embodiment of a vibrant mind fueled by a runner’s high that he maintained until he literally could no longer walk.”

During his tenure at Fordham, he also served as a visiting professor at the Rome Center of Loyola University of Chicago from 1986 to 1987 and a visiting professor at Blackfriars College, Oxford, in 1996.

In addition to serving as editor of Law and Justice: The Christian Law Review, from 1985 to 1990, Regan was a prolific writer who continued to explore the intersections of law, politics, philosophy, and religion after he stepped away from teaching duties in 2012.

In his retirement, Father Regan lived at Murray-Weigel Hall, an assisted-living facility for Jesuits near Fordham’s Rose Hill campus.

Just five years ago, he published A Constitutional History of the U.S. Supreme Court (Catholic University of America Press, 2015); before that he completed Just War: Principles and Cases, (Catholic University of America Press, 2013) and The American Constitution and Religion (Catholic University of America Press, 2013).

Father Regan devoted a great deal of scholarship to the works of Saint Thomas Aquinas, in books such as Aquinas: A Summary of Philosophy (Hackett, 2003), Aquinas: The Cardinal Virtues, (Hackett, 2005) , and Aquinas: Commentary on Aristotle’s Poetics (Hackett, 2017), which he edited.

He also penned works such as American Pluralism and the Catholic Conscience; Private Conscience and Public Law (Macmillan, 1993) and The Moral Dimensions of Politics (Oxford University Press, 1986).

Catholic University of America Press Director Trevor Lipscombe, Ph.D., said he was always touched that Father Regan would end their correspondence with a script “R,” as shorthand for the Latin word for king or queen.

“I am English, and so he thought I’d like it, as the kings and queens of England end their signatures with a script R for rex or regina,” he said.

“He would call the press often, mostly when there was some late-breaking news about the British royals that he wanted either to ask my opinion about, or share his own. The same, too, for Brexit. A Thomist who read the tabloids!” he said, referring to the school of thought revolving around Saint Thomas Aquinas.

“He invariably asked about my daughter with cystic fibrosis and—the very essence of Father Regan—he would let me know when he found something in the news about potential new treatments. Everyone who worked with him at the press had a soft spot for Father Regan, and there was much sadness when we learned of his passing. He was a phenomenal scholar, someone who loved learning, but he remained, to his core, a caring priest.”

Aditi Bagchi,

associate professor of law, LAW,

“ESPN Accused in Dish Case of Giving Comcast Better Terms,” Bloomberg, February 11

Tom Beaudoin, Ph.D.,

associate professor of practical theology, GRE,

“Woodford and the Quest for Meaning,” ABC Radio, February 16

Mary Bly, Ph.D.,

professor of English, A&S,

“How do Bestselling Novelists Court Cupid on Valentine’s Day?,” Washington Post, February 14

James Brudney,

professor of law, LAW,

“Nutter Seeks High Court’s OK to Impose His Terms on City Workers,” Philly.com, March 1

Charles C. Camosy, Ph.D.,

assistant professor of theology, A&S,

“Drone Warfare Faces Barrage of Moral Questions,” Catholic San Francisco, February 20

Colin M. Cathcart, M.F.A.,

associate professor of architecture, A&S,

“New York City Traffic Ranked the Worst Among the Nation: Study,” AM New York, February 6

Saul Cornell, Ph.D.,

The Paul and Diane Guenther Chair in American History, A&S,

“After Newtown: Guns in America,” WNET-TV, February 19

Carole Cox, Ph.D.,

professor of social service, GSS,

“Boomer Stress,” Norwich Bulletin, February 19

George Demacopoulos, Ph.D.,

associate professor of theology, A&S,

“Pope Resignation,” ABC, World News Now, February 28

Christopher Dietrich, Ph.D.,

assistant professor of history, A&S,

“Bad Precedent: Obama’s Drone Doctrine is Nixon’s Cambodia Doctrine (Dietrich),” Informed Comment, February 11

John Entelis, Ph.D.,

professor of political science, A&S,

“John Brennan,” BBC Radio, February 9

Howard Erichson,

professor of law, LAW,

“High-Stakes Trial Begins for 2010 Gulf Oil Spill,” Amarillo Globe-News, February 25

Laura Gonzalez, Ph.D.,

assistant professor of finance, BUS,

“Recortes al Presupuesto Podrían Afectar el Seguro Social y Medicare,” Mundo Fox, February 8

Albert Greco, Ph.D.,

professor of marketing, BUS,

“Why Would Anyone Want to Buy a Bookstore?,” Marketplace, February 25

Karen J. Greenberg, Ph.D.,

director of the Center on National Security, LAW,

“Alleged Sept. 11 Plotters in Court, but Lawyers Do the Talking,” National Public Radio, February 11

Stephen R. Grimm, Ph.D.,

associate professor of philosophy, A&S,

“Grants from Foundations and Corporations of More Than $100,000 in 2013,” Chronicle of Philanthropy, February 28

Tanya Hernandez, Ph.D.,
professor of law, LAW,

“Brazil’s Affirmative Action Law Offers a Huge Hand Up,” Christian Science Monitor, February 12

J. Patrick Hornbeck, Ph.D.,

assistant professor of theology, A&S,

“Vatican Conclave,” Huffington Post, March 4

Robert Hume, Ph.D.,

associate professor of political science, A&S,

“USA: Supreme Court Case Update – DOMA/Prop 8 Briefs Streaming In,” Gay Marriage Watch, February 28

Clare Huntington,

associate professor of law, LAW,

“Sunday Dialogue: How to Give Families a Path Out of Poverty,” The New York Times, February 9

Nicholas Johnson,

professor of law, LAW,

“Neil Heslin, Father of Newtown Victim, Testifies at Senate Assault Weapons Ban Hearing,”Huffington Post, February 27

Michael E. Lee, Ph.D.,

associate professor of theology, A&S,

“Tiempo: Watch this Week’s Show,” WABC 7, February 17

Joseph T. Lienhard, S.J.,

professor of theology, A&S,

“Remembering Benedict — the Teacher, the Traditionalist,” The Saratogian, March 1

Dawn B. Lerman, Ph.D.,

director of the Center for Positive Marketing, marketing area chair, and professor of marketing, BUS,

“Study: Google, Facebook, Walmart Fill Consumer Needs,” Tech Investor News, February 12

Paul Levinson, Ph.D.,

professor of communication and media studies, A&S,

“Will Oscar Host Seth MacFarlane Be Asked Back? Probably Not,” Yahoo! News via Christian Science Monitor, February 26

Hector Lindo-Fuentes, Ph.D.,

professor of history and director of Latin American and Latino Studies, A&S,

“Escaping Gang Violence, Growing Number of Teens Cross Border,” WNYC, December 28

Timothy Malefyt, Ph.D.,

visiting associate professor of marketing, BUS,

“On TV, an Everyday Muslim as Everyday American,” The New York Times, February 8

Elizabeth Maresca,

clinical associate professor of law, LAW,

“Poll: 87 Percent Say Never OK to Cheat on Taxes,” KWQC, February 26

Carlos McCray, Ed.D.,

associate professor of education leadership, GRE,

“Cops Nab 5-Year-Old for Wearing Wrong Color Shoes to School,” Take Part, January 18

Micki McGee, Ph.D.,

assistant professor of sociology, A&S,

“Do Self-Help Books Work?,” Chicago Sun Times, February 21

Mark Naison, Ph.D.,

professor of African and African American Studies and history, and principal investigator of the Bronx African American History Project (BAAHP), A&S,

“Professor: Why Teach For America Can’t Recruit in my Classroom,” Washington Post, February 18

Costas Panagopoulos, Ph.D.,

associate professor of political science, A&S,

“Analysis: Obama to Republicans – Can We Just Move On?,” WHTC 1450, February 13

Kimani Paul-Emile,

associate professor of law, LAW,

“Some Patients Won’t See Nurses of Different Race,” Cleveland Plain Dealer via AP, February 22

Michael Peppard, Ph.D.,

assistant professor of theology, A&S,

“Big Man on Campus isn’t on Campus,” Commonweal, February 20

Francis Petit, Ed.D.,

associate dean and director of Executive Programs, BUS,

“Marissa Mayer Takes Flak for Gathering Her Troops,” E-Commerce Times, March 1

Rose Perez, Ph.D.,

assistant professor of social work, GSS,

“Education Segment,” Mundo Fox, January 21

Wullianallur “R.P.” Raghupathi, Ph.D.,

professor of information systems, BUS,

“¿Qué Tiene Silicon Valley para Producir ‘Frutos’ Como Steve Jobs?,” CNN, February 24

Joel Reidenberg, Ph.D.,

Stanley D. and Nikki Waxberg Chair and professor of law and founding academic director of the Center on Law and Information Policy, LAW,

“Google App Store Policy Raises Privacy Concerns,” Reuters, February 14

Erick Rengifo-Minaya, Ph.D.,

associate professor of economics, BUS,

“Noticias MundoFOX 10PM Parte II,” Mundo Fox Noticias, February 8

Patrick J. Ryan, S.J.,

The Laurence J. McGinley Professor of Religion and Society, A&S,

“Pope Resignation,” WNBC, Sunday “Today in NY,” March 13

Susan Scafidi,

professor of law, LAW,

“Diamonds: How $60B Industry Thrives on Symbolism,” CBS This Morning, February 21

Christine Janssen-Selvadurai, Ph.D.,director of the entrepreneurship program at the Gabelli School of Business and co-director of both Fordham’s Center for Entrepreneurship and the Fordham Foundry, BUS,

“NYC Embraces Silicon Valley’s Appetite for Risk,” Crain’s New York Business, February 6

Ellen Silber, Ph.D.,

director of Mentoring Latinas, GSS,

“Mentoring Program Serves Young Latinas Aiming Higher in New York City,” Fox News Latino, February 25

Janet Sternberg, Ph.D.,assistant professor of communication and media studies, A&S,

“What are You Supposed to Do When You Have, Like, 106,926 Unread Emails?,” Huffington Post, February 25

Maureen A. Tilley, Ph.D.,professor of theology, A&S,

“Pope Resignation: Interview with Maureen Tilley of Fordham University,” WPIX, February 17

Terrence W. Tilley, Ph.D.,

Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J., Professor of Catholic Theology and chair of the department, A&S,

“As Conclave to Select New Pope Begins, English-Speaking Cardinals Lead Charge to Reform Vatican,” Daily News, March 4

Peter Vaughan, Ph.D.,dean of the Graduate School of Social Service, GSS,

“Ceremony Held for NASW Foundation Award Recipients,” Social Work Blog, February 28

More features in this issue:

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Copyright © 2013, Fordham University.

Under the guidance of his mentor, John Entelis, Ph.D., professor of political science and director of the Middle East studies program at Fordham, Azari tore up his original thesis and turned to the Iranian Revolution.

“After the revolution, I was active in promoting democracy in Iran,” said Azari, who immigrated to the United states in 1970 and later earned a master’s degree in engineering at Polytechnic University (now part of NYU). “There were times when we came in conflict with the current regime. I devoted my time to learning about the alliance of social forces that caused the revolution and how these forces could possibly lead to a democratic system.”

After earning his doctorate in political science at Fordham in 1988, Azari worked as a visiting scholar at the University of California, Berkeley. He started his own engineering and development firm, which he ran for more than two decades while continuing to study the unfolding events in Iran. And in 1989, he and his wife, Pari, opened Azari Vineyards, a winery in Sonoma County. He produces pinot noir and a secondary crop of cool-climate shiraz, a nod to his Persian heritage.

When he’s not running the vineyard, Azari is working on a book about democracy and government. In it, he and his co-author, a colleague at Stevens Institute of Technology, argue for a return to community government.

“We’re proposing this model of government that may be futuristic,” he said, “but it would be based on the problems that the Founding Fathers could not have foreseen 220 years ago. The country has changed a lot.”

The book fits in nicely with Azari’s lifelong pursuit of figuring out how the world works—whether it’s from an engineering, horticultural, or historical perspective.

“I really enjoy understanding history and social changes,” he said, “and how those changes contribute to the creativity of individuals.”

It also allows him to think deeply about the complicated politics of his native country, analyzing what he calls “the narrow narrative that exists in Iran.”

A proud Fordham alumnus, Azari hosted a 2009 reception at his winery for members of the University’s Northern California Alumni Chapter. And this spring, he returned to Fordham to participate in the 2012 Spring Gannon Lecture with his mentor and friend Entelis, sharing with the Fordham community his thoughts about Iran, the Arab Spring, and the Middle East.

“I’ve been sharing with Fordham like a community, like a family,” he said. “You feel a certain affinity, a certain connection with Fordham graduates.”