George Vickers

Dr. George R. Vickers "is a Senior Policy Analyst for Latin American issues at the Open Society Policy Center. He serves as an advocate on Latin American issues with the US Congress and other Washington-based policy actors.

"Specifically, Vickers works to advance the Latin American Program goals: promoting international support for open society values in Latin America in the aftermath of 9/11; strengthening the rule of law and democratic values; and harmonizing economic policy-making with open society values by promoting reforms to the "Washington Consensus" aimed at supporting the consolidation of democracy.

"Vickers has a distinguished history of working on Latin American affairs. Prior to joining OSI, Vickers was the Executive Director of the Washington Office on Latin America, a center for policy analysis and advocacy that works to secure human rights and promote democracy in the Americas. Before that, he was a Professor of Sociology at the City University of New York and the Director of the Institute for Central American Studies.

"Vickers has served on numerous election observer delegations in Central and South America, and co-directed missions monitoring the implementation of peace agreements in Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala.

"He is the author of several books and has written extensively on the dynamics of revolutionary movements, democratization processes in Latin America, civil-military relations and U.S. military strategy. Vickers is a member of the boards of directors of Hemisphere Initiatives and the Latin America Working Group. He also sits on the advisory board of Human Rights Watch/Americas.

"Vickers completed his graduate level studies at Washington University, earning an M.A. and Ph.D in Sociology. He did his undergraduate studies at Northwestern University." 

"Dr. George R. Vickers is regional director for Latin America at the Open Society Institute and senior policy analyst at the Open Society Policy Center. From 1993-2001, he was executive director of the Washington Office on Latin America, a center for policy analysis and advocacy that works to secure human rights and promote democracy in the Americas. Dr. Vickers was professor of sociology at the Graduate Center and Brooklyn College of the City University of New York from 1975 to 1997 and also was director of the Institute for Central American Studies in New York from 1986 to 1993." 


 * Member, Human Rights Watch Americas Advisory Committee
 * Member of the Institute for Policy Studies 2000 (at least) advisory committee for the Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Award
 * Steering Committee, Peace and Security Funders Group