Guest Lecture of H.E. US Prof. Randall Palmer

As already regionally well-established place of visits and guest-lectures of prominent experts and top-diplomats from all over the world, the IMC University additionally keeps up on inviting the researchers and authors of best-selling scientific books. After having a pleasure to host the US Senior Vice President of Biotech North Caroline Center (nearly two years ago), the IMC invited under the auspices of the Export Studies Chair for Intl. Law and Global Political Studies, Prof. Randall Balmer of Barnard College of the Columbia University for a guest lecture on the Role of Religion in American Politics.

The IMC Baroque hall turned to be too small to lodge all of our fellows students and professors. It was an excellent opportunity to get the first-hand insights over the relations between religion and politics and their visible or invisible interplays; formal constitutional aspects and state-of-art daily outcomes; other, religious-related side of political parties activities as well as the roots and specifics of religious affiliations in American society. Extraordinary eloquent and inspiring lecture of Prof. Balmer was followed by tour-de-table with many interesting questions asked by audience. Formal part of lecture was not the end of talks; the IMC Cocktail reception in honor of distinguished guest was the opportunity for our students to have nearly an hour long additional, rather informal and frank conversation with Professor Balmer.

Prolific author of many books, TV documentaries and articles in nearly every of the influential US journals and newspapers, Prof. Balmer has an extraordinarily reach academic record and career; besides teaching at his main university he was/is teaching at many including such a prestigious universities as the Yale and Princeton are. Historian by background, prof. Balmer holds high degrees from the Columbia and Princeton (PhD) University. He is currently finalizing book on a history of religion in North America (for Oxford University Press), and many experts assume that this writings will be a huge best-seller in the US this summer.

Summing up at the end of this content-intensive and extremely valuable event with the IMC EXP Program Director Prof. Ernst FIETZ and Prof. Anis H. Bajrektarevic, EXP Chair and principal host of the guest-lecture event, prof. Balmer stated that he was impressed by ambitions, vision and enthusiasm of the IMC faculty members as well as by huge interest, commitment and knowledge of our students as demonstrated throughout the questions and long discussion with him, and promised to return to our University in a due time again.

Special thanks and tribute goes to Ms. Katherine M. Perez, the US Embassy PD Officer, Ms. Roswitha Haller, Senior Embassy staff member and Ms. Alice M. Burton, Cultural Affairs Specialist, who make this event happening and were accompanying professor Balmer.

It was the second (out of three) events prepared in cooperation with the US Embassy (Amerika Haus) to which we all are very grateful. The Pulitzer award winner, prof. Rakove is our next guest-speaker sheduled for 10 May 06.

Text: Mr. Bajrektarevic