"Paul brings sociology's characteristic tradition of powerful insightfulness into many different types of sciences," such as medicine, economics, history and even politics, he said, adding that Starr is a big boost to the department."
Phi Beta Kappa
Starr graduated summa cum laude. Phi Beta Kappa, from Columbia University in 1970, where he was editor of the Daily Spectator, the university newspaper. He came to Harvard in 1975 as a junior fellow in the Society of Fellows and began teaching sociology as an assistant professor in 1978.
Starr has written The Discarded Arms, a book about Vietnam veterans, in addition to his prizewinning work, along with several other works of non fiction and over 40 articles and columns.
In the future, Starr said he will concentrate on exploring the distinctions between public and private life.
Starr is the 25th Harvard affiliate to garner a Pulitzer prize. His predecessors include the writer Archibald MacLeish, the historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. '38. Adams University Professor Bernard Bailyn. Professor Robert W. Coles '50 and Baird Professor of Science Edwin O. Wilson, among others.