Joyotpaul, “Joy” Chaudhuri, 86, passed away March 31, 2020. Joy studied at St. Xavier's School and College in Kolkota (Calcutta), India. In 1952, he left India and moved to the United States. He received his Ph.D. in Political Philosophy from the University of Oklahoma and became a tenured professor.
Joy retired from ASU in 2003 as Professor Emeritus, Political Science. While at ASU he served as an associate dean in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences from 1985 to 1990. He was acting director of the Center of Asian Studies from 1991 to 1992. Prior to ASU, he was department head and professor with New Mexico State University, Las Cruces (1979-1985); an associate professor with the University of Arizona (1972-1979); assistant professor with Florida State University (1969-1972); associate professor with University of South Dakota (1965-1969); assistant professor with Kent State University (1984-1969); an instructor with Oklahoma University (1962-1964) and an instructor with Central Oklahoma University (1961). He was also a visiting fellow with Silliman College at Yale University (1968-1969), and a Junior Scholar with the National Endowment of the Humanities.
At nearly every university where Joy taught, he was voted professor of the year at one point or another. His academic pursuits resulted in real-world benefits for American Indian communities, as well as many other poor communities of color in the U.S. Just a small sampling of his efforts shows a glimpse: he did groundbreaking work on Urban Indian policy in the 1970s, authored critical texts on the non-Lockean roots of American Democratic thought, supported the growth and development of the American Indian program at the University of Arizona in the 1970s, helped end the demeaning "Chief FullaBull" mascot at Florida State University in the late 1960s, and published many volumes on Indian federalism.
Following the passing of his wife, Jean, in 1997, Joy met Jody Davis. Joy is survived by Jody, a brother, sister, niece, two sons and five grandchildren. On April 11, 2020, the family hosted a ceremony via Zoom to honor his life and legacy. (Source: ASU Foundation)