ROBERT BENJAMIN SEIDMAN

My wife and I had been in China for three years, and I was not aware of Bob's passing until I visited Leiden University last week and heard the news. I found there a student using a framework from Bob and Ann to assess "fit for purpose" land administration. And I presented a paper on land tenure dualism in China that contained seeds planted by Bob and Ann when I studied under Bob at UW-Madison in the 1970's.
Bob planted many such seeds. He was a stimulating and challenging teacher, and...

I just learned of the death of a great man whom I have never met but exchanged emails and spoke few times with him. He was a very kind and helpful professor yet down to earth and humble. I came to know him thru my studies in Human Rights Law. May the creator rest his soul in peace and endow him with highest degrees in heaven. He was a man of good deeds. I am sure every person who came to know him will miss him but his legend will outlive all of the people who knew him. Hence, our prayers to...

He had a way with expressing ideas that still sound in my ears Here's one in paraphrase: "It's like when Ann and I prepare supper. We don't go the the grocery store to get the best ingredients. We open the fridge and the cupboards, and see what we can cook. . . . It's the same with countries. They don't get to start from scratch either, but come with their histories, fears, hopes and land."
Watching Bob and Ann teach together--I first saw their work in Malawi in 1973--was like watching a...