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University Honors

Professor, Department of Political Science

1994

Bio:

Dr. Tai joined the University of Detroit in 1962 as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science.  Between his starting date and 1977 he earned the rank of Associate Professor, then full Professor with tenure in 1967.  From 1971-1977 he served as chairman of the Department of Political Science.

During his teaching career, Dr. Tai served as an instructor at the University of Montana, Faculty Research Associate in the Center for International Affairs, Harvard University, a Visiting Associate Professor, National Taiwan University, and a Research Associate at the University of the Philippines.  He also taught as visiting professor international political economy, National Cheng-kung University, Taiwan and visiting professor of political science, University of Michigan, Dearborn.

Dr. Tai was a strong teacher and his nominator acknowledged this when he wrote “I have regularly heard enthusiastic comments from students concerning Paul Tai’s teaching since my arrival at the University of Detroit in 1976.  Especially in my experiences with graduate students, it became apparent that they anticipated excellent teaching as well as rigorous standards in Professor Tai’s classes.  The development, expansion and success of the graduate program in International Politics and Economics (IP&E) was primarily his accomplishment, with strong cooperation from our colleagues in the Economics Department.” 

He was awarded many grants for his work including Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation Grant on comparative political modernization, Pacific Cultural Foundation Grant on Education/Savings Surveys, Japan Economic Foundation Grant on Detroit Perception of Japan, General Motors Corporation and National Endowment for the Humanities matching grants on Japan Economic Symposium, a Ford Foundation Faculty Fellowship.

Over the years, Dr. Tai presented many conference papers and was a speaker on the relations of China and Taiwan, mainland China policies, trends of business globalization, understanding and managing cultural diversity, emerging Pacific Rim market economies, American economy and presidential election, and Confucianism and economic development.  He twice was a member of the delegation of the United State University Professors to observe the National Assembly election in Taiwan, the Republic of China.

Dr. Tai has a number of major publication.  For example, Confucianism and Economic Development: An Oriental Alternative?; World Investment in Southeast Michigan and Detroit, Human Factor and Japanese Economic Performance, Politics of Post-Land Reform Countries, Land Reform and Politics, A Comparative Analysis, International Political Economy, and United States, China, and Taiwan: Bridges for a New Millennium.  In addition, he has contributed chapters in book and numerous book reviews in the Journal of Asian Studies and Digest of Chinese Studies.  In 1996, Dr. Tai became the editor-in-chief of The American Journal of Chinese Studies, an official publication of The American Society of Chinese Studies.

Dr. Tai was born in 1929 in China and came to the United States in 1956.  He earned a B.A. from the National Taiwan University in 1954 and a M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois in 1958 and 1961 respectively.  His doctoral dissertation was on the United National membership problems.

In granting the Emeritus honor, Sr. Maureen Fay, President of University of Detroit Mercy wrote “You have been a dedicated member of the Department of Political Science for 31 years. You have earned a reputation for distinguished scholarship through your publications.  You are an outstanding teacher, internationally known scholar and totally committed to the University.”

Professor Tai was awarded Professor Emeritus status on November 1, 1994 by Sr. Maureen A. Fay, O.P., Ph.D., President of University of Detroit Mercy.

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