Constantine Arvanitopoulos
Professor of International Politics, former minister of Education
Constantine Arvanitopoulos is a former Greek Minister of Education, and Professor of International Politics at the Department of International, European and Area Studies at Panteion University, Athens. He is Director General of the “Konstantinos G. Karamanlis” Foundation beginning September 2022.
Academic Career
He is a graduate of Panteion University, Department of Political Sciences (1982), he holds an MA (1985) and a PhD (1989) in International Relations and Comparative Politics, from the School of International Service, American University, Washington DC, both with honors, and also a post-doc (1990-1992) from the Center for European Studies of Harvard University.
He has been Lecturer on International Relations and Comparative Politics at the School of International Service at the American University (1987-89) and Assistant Professor of Government and European Politics at the Department of Public and International Affairs at George Mason University (1992-95). In 1995 he became Assistant Professor of International Relations at the Department of International and European Studies at Panteion University, in Athens, Greece. In 2008 he became Professor at the same Department. He chaired the Department from 2006 to 2010. Beginning September 2019 and for three consecutive years he was the "Constantine G. Karamanlis" Chair in Hellenic and European Studies at Fletcher School at Tufts University in Boston, USA.
His research interests are in International Relations Theory, Political Theory, European Politics and US Foreign Policy Analysis. He has taught courses on theory and methodology of International Relations, European Politics, and Comparative Analysis. He has given lectures on numerous academic institutions (Harvard, Princeton, Columbia, Georgetown, University of Chicago, Tsinghua University, Peking University).
He has published articles on the EU, the non-aligned movement, Greek-Turkish relations, the study of leadership and authoritarian regimes. He has written books on the transitions from authoritarianism to democracy, on transatlantic relations, on US foreign policy and a textbook on international relations. His latest book is entitled "The Transatlantic Partnership at a Crossroads: Renewal or Decoupling".
Political Career
Constantine Arvanitopoulos was Member of the Greek Parliament with New Democracy (2012-2014). On November 11, 2011 he was appointed Alternate Minister of Education, Lifelong Learning and Religious Affairs in the coalition Government of Lucas Papademos. He served as Minister of Education, Religious Affairs, Civilization & Sports from June 2012 until June, 2014.
He was Director of the Political Office of the President of New Democracy from 2009 to 2011 and Director General of the "Constantinos Karamanlis" Institute for Democracy from 2000 to 2010. He was the spokesperson for the New Democracy Party during the national elections of September 2007. He was also Representative of the New Democracy Party to the National Council of Foreign Policy (2005-2007).
Between 2004 and 2009, he has served as Member of the High Council of the European University Institute (EUI), as well as Member of the Academic Council of the Centre for European Studies (CES). Since 2017, he is Senior Research Associate of CES. Alongside his academic and political career, from 2005 to 2008 he was Member of the Board of “Olympiakos Sporting Club”, as well as Member of the Board of Directors of UNESCO-Greece, member of the Board of War Museum Athens, while today he is Member of the Board of the European Cultural Centre of Delphi.