Schubert helped pioneer field of biopolitics

by Tom Parisi

NIU political scientist James Schubert, a pioneer in the field of biopolitics whose innovative research won both newspaper headlines and international recognition, died Monday, Sept. 5, at his home in upstate New York. He was 58.

“One of his favorite sayings was ‘sui generis,' which means one of a kind,” said colleague Margaret Curran.

“Nothing fits Jim better. He was a mentor, teacher and scholar. For those of us who worked with him, he was first and foremost a friend.”

Schubert's natural curiosity led to a wide variety of studies in biopolitics, a field that examines the intersection of politics with the life sciences. One series of Schubert studies, conducted jointly with Curran, found links between the physical appearances of political candidates and voter behavior. The findings were cited in prominent articles in such newspapers as the Wall Street Journal and the Chicago Tribune.

Curran, a visiting assistant professor who will teach Schubert's courses this semester, began working with him on research projects while she was a graduate student at NIU 11 years ago. He later directed her Ph.D. dissertation.

“Research requires creativity,” she said, “and Jim had an amazing mind that would recognize connections that others didn't see.”

In other studies, Schubert explored the relationship between nutrition and civic involvement in democratic societies; demonstrated how the age of a mayor influences political leadership style; evaluated the impact of state policy responses on the spread of AIDS; showed how the outcome of Supreme Court cases could be predicted by justices' behavior during oral arguments; and found that smaller communities are more likely to be more charitable.

His work attracted more than $750,000 in research grants and led to his service as executive director of the international Association of Politics and Life Sciences, a post he held from 1991 to 1996. The organization later presented him with its “Founders' Award.”

Among NIU faculty, Schubert likely had the longest commute to work. He spent weekends with his wife of 38 years, Gloria Beach Schubert, at their small ranch, complete with horses, in New York.

Colleagues said he was diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, a type of brain tumor, in January of 2004. Despite the illness and several surgeries, he continued to conduct research, attend conferences and teach at NIU.

“He approached this illness with the same determination that characterized all his life endeavors,” said NIU Presidential Research Professor Andrea Bonnicksen, who also specializes in biopolitics. “Jim was very dedicated to his students and his work, and he was determined to be here at NIU, even when recovering from surgery. When he could not be on campus, he worked with students through e-mails and calls.”

Born in Syracuse, N.Y., Schubert earned a bachelor's degree from Michigan State University and a master's degree and Ph.D. in political science from the University of Hawaii.

He served as a research associate at NIU in the early 1980s, later taught political science at Alfred University in New York and returned to DeKalb in 1991 as a professor and director of the Center for Biopolitical Research, a post that he held for five years. He taught a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate courses and served as director of graduate studies from 1999 to 2001.

“Graduate students loved to work with him,” said Daniel Kempton, political science chair. “He was one of the most sought-after dissertation directors in the department because of his natural gift for research methodology and for helping people develop and sharpen their hypotheses.”

In addition to biopolitics, Schubert was an expert in political psychology, public policy and international relations.

“If we needed a course taught, Jim was always the first to step in and teach it,” Kempton added. “Because of his broad interests, he was willing to tackle just about anything. He also had an irrepressible sense of humor and was always looking at the funny side of everything. He would often disarm heated discussions with a well-timed quip or joke.”

In addition to his wife, Schubert is survived by his daughter, Lisa Marie (Christopher) Wood of Rochester, N.Y., and son, Erik James (Layla) Schubert of Portland, Ore. Funeral services and burial were held last week in New York.

A memorial will be held in DeKalb at a later date.

9-12-05