DEMETRIOS CARALEY

CARALEY-- Demetrios James. Esteemed professor of political science, author, editor, as well as university and nonprofit administrator, died peacefully on December 14. He was 88 years old. Caraley was Janet H. Robb Professor of the Social Sciences at Barnard College from 1959 to 2004. He was elected chairman of the Barnard Political Science Department for ten three-year terms and was founding chairman of the Program on Urban Affairs. He also served on the faculties of Columbia University's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the School of International and Public Affairs. He established the Columbia Graduate Program in Public Policy and Administration where he was the founding director for seven years. Caraley published numerous books and articles on city government and on congressional policies toward cities. He was a Russell Sage Foundation Visiting Scholar for the 1995-1996 academic year, where he worked on a project on cities and the urban poor. He also authored books and articles in the fields of democratic political theory and national security policy. After 9/11 and the death therein of his son-in-law, Steven Paterson, he published books and articles on terrorist attacks and U.S. foreign policy. At the Academy of Political Science, Caraley was the longstanding Editor of Political Science Quarterly (PSQ) from 1973 to 2020 and concurrent President of the Academy between 1992 and 2018. Over the course of 47 years, he expanded PSQ's Editorial Advisory Board to include world-class scholars from across the nation and brought to readers the best scholarly research to bear on American politics and international affairs. He successfully transitioned PSQ to the digital age, and stabilized the Academy's finances by delivering 26 consecutive budgets without a deficit. Caraley was both an appointed and elected official in Westchester County local government in the 1970s. Born to Christos and Stella Caraley in New York City, he graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School and Columbia University. After receiving his B.A. summa cum laude from Columbia College, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa his Junior year, and completing one year at Columbia Law School, where he was elected to Law Review, he served as a naval officer during the Korean War. Following his service in the U.S. Navy, he returned to Columbia to earn his Ph.D. in political science. Caraley is survived by his adored wife of 32 years, Vilma Mairo Caraley; daughter from a first marriage, Anne Caraley; daughter, Lisa Paterson, and grandchildren, Lucy and Wyatt Paterson. He is predeceased by two sons from the previous marriage, Christopher and David Caraley. Family will not be holding a funeral service at this time. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent for the Demetrios and James Christopher Caraley Memorial Prize at Columbia University, New York, NY 10027.