Awards

Fulbright Award - 1983

France

About William Cohen

William Cohen was a professor and director of graduate studies in history and director of the West European Studies Program at IU. After a year of teaching at Northwestern, he joined the history department at IU as an assistant professor in 1967. He was promoted to associate professor in 1971, full professor in 1979, and served as chair of the department from 1980 to 1987. Subsequently, Cohen also served as chair of the Department of West European Studies from 1978 to 1980 where he laid the foundation for the department’s accreditation as a National Resource Center. He was known as a scholar of modern European history and one of the history department’s most esteemed colleagues. Born in Finland and grew up in Sweden, Cohen spoke French and German and learned Amharic, English, Swedish, and Italian as well. He received his B.A. from Pomona College in 1962 and his Ph.D. in History from Stanford University in 1968. Cohen was an active member of the American Historical Association and served as president of the Society for French Historical Studies. He also received a Fulbright award in 1983 to research in France. Cohen passed away on November 25, 2002.