Jean blondel biography

Jean Blondel, comparative political scientist, founder of the University of Essex Department of Government and ECPR, died peacefully on Christmas Day 2022.

Tracing his career, Ian Budge says he was a Napoleonic figure who reshaped European political science structurally and intellectually; and had a striking influence on the discipline throughout the world

The University of Essex

Breaking through conventional boundaries, Jean Blondel went to Brazil in the mid-1950s to write his doctoral thesis.

Instead of then pursuing a conventional career in France, he crossed to the new departments springing up in Britain. At the new and innovative University of Essex, established in 1962, he became the founding Professor of the Department of Politics (now the Department of Government).

Under Albert Sloman, a kindred spirit, the university was strongly research-oriented.

Only ten large departments served to concentrate resources, and made an intellectual