Papers of Regis A. Factor, bulk 1960s-1990s
Collection context
Summary
- Creator:
- Factor, Regis A.
- Abstract:
- Collection reflects USF St. Petersburg political science professor Regis A. Factor's career and his scholarship of international affairs.
- Extent:
- 1 boxes
- 2.25 Linear Feet
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
Papers of Regis A. Factor inventory list, Nelson Poynter Memorial Library Special Collections and University Archives, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL.
Background
- Scope and content:
Collection is organized by categories: biographical records, University Governance, Pedagogy, Scholarship, Religion, and General. Materials include syllabi, lecture notes, clippings, correspondence, and papers written by Regis A. Factor during this time at USF St. Petersburg as political science professor.
- Biographical / historical:
When he joined the faculty in 1973, Regis A. Factor became the first professor of political science permanently appointed to University of South Florida St. Petersburg. Born on 8 September 1937, Factor received a bachelor of arts in Economics from Washington and Jefferson College in Pennsylvania in 1959. After serving with the Unites States Army, he earned a masters of arts in International Studies from The Johns Hopkins University, spending one year studying in Bologna, Italy. He continued his education, first, on an exchange at the University of Bonn, Germany, and then completing his PhD in Political Science at the University of Notre Dame. His pursuit of knowledge did not end with this prestigious degree. Throughout his life, Factor pursued educational opportunities, attending many summer institutes presented by the National Endowment for the Humanities, as well as seminars at Harvard and Princeton universities.
A brilliant researcher, Factor was capable of reading four languages: French, German, Spanish, and Italian. He authored or co-authored three books as a faculty member: Max Weber, the Lawyer as Social Thinker; Guide to the Archiv für Sozialwissenschaft und SozialPolitik Group, 1904-1933: A History and Comprehensive Bibliography; Max Weber and the Dispute over Reason and Value: A Study in Philosophy, Ethics, and Politics.
He was the first faculty member at USF St. Petersburg to receive a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities. This grant allowed him to travel to Germany to conduct research for his monograph on the Archiv. In addition, Factor contributed several book chapters, primarily on Max Weber, and presented his papers at numerous meetings of the American Political Science Association, the American Sociological Association, and other respected organizations.
Throughout his career, Factor engaged in extensive correspondence with scholars worldwide, including Robert Eden, author of Political Leadership and Nihilism: A Study of Weber and Nietzsche, Father James Schall, Professor of Government at Georgetown University, and Dr. Arthur F. Utz, a prominent German Catholic sociologist who was appointed to the papal academy of social sciences.
A devout Catholic himself, Factor was a member of Opus Dei, a prelature of the church with a mission to spread God's word throughout one's life and work. This was evident in many of Factor's writings, but also by his dedication to the Right to Life movement and the Excalibur Life School in St. Petersburg.
His strong commitment to student leadership was evident from his work with a variety of student leaders and organizations such as Legalis (a pre-law student organization at USF St. Petersburg) and the Campus Lecture Series. An avid swimmer and competitive water volleyball player, he frequently joined other faculty and students for water volleyball matches Friday afternoons during the 1980s and 1990s. He passed away on 18 April 1999.
- Acquisition information:
- The items in this collection fall under Record Group 363 (Political Science/Government and International Affairs) of the USF St. Petersburg Archives. The library received these materials after Dr. Factor's death in April 1999.
Indexed terms
Access and use
- Terms of access:
None. The contents of the collection may be subject to copyright. Visit the United States Copyright Office's website at http://www.copyright.gov/ for more information.
- Preferred citation:
Papers of Regis A. Factor inventory list, Nelson Poynter Memorial Library Special Collections and University Archives, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL.
- Location of this collection:
-
140 7th Avenue SouthSt. PetersburgFL33701USA
