Dear Watson Community,
It is with great sadness that I inform you that Anya Bernstein Bassett, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer in International and Public Affairs and Faculty Director of the International and Public Affairs Concentration, passed away suddenly on Tuesday, August 13, 2024. Anya joined the Watson community in July 2023 and in one short year, transformed the IAPA program in so many positive ways. She was dedicated to mentoring and supporting students, especially first generation students. Among her many accomplishments, she created advising pathways for IAPA students seeking to declare their concentrations, strengthened junior seminar offerings, worked with postdocs to offer classes in a wide range of subjects to our students, and increased our honors thesis class size. She had boundless energy and enthusiasm, and we were very lucky to have known her.
Anya Bernstein Bassett came to Brown after serving as Senior Lecturer on Social Studies and Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Social Studies Concentration at Harvard University for more than 20 years. That Anya continued to mentor generations of students at Harvard long after their graduation — and that those students continued to flock to her to share their joys and challenges — is testament to her warmth, love, and dedication to education in the fullest sense of the term.
Anya received her B.A. from Barnard College and her Ph.D. in Political Science from Harvard University in 1997. Her teaching expertise was in family policy, public policy surrounding family and medical leave, and the intersection between social class, child rearing, and life outcomes. She was the author of the 2001 book The Moderation Dilemma: Legislative Coalitions and the Politics of Family and Medical Leave (University of Pittsburgh Press).
We extend our deepest sympathies to Anya’s family, friends, and the Watson Community during this difficult time. At the appropriate time, and in consultation with her husband Jonathan and her two children Ben and Sarah, we hope to host a celebration of life for Anya at Watson.
If you or someone you know needs support during this difficult time, help is available through the Office of the Chaplains & Religious Life, the University Ombuds Office, and the Employee Assistance Program. Brown students in need of counseling are urged to reach out to any of the following offices for assistance: Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), 401-863-3476; the deans in the office of Student Support Services, 401-863-3145; or the Office of the Chaplains & Religious Life, 401-863-2344.
