Joseph W. Eaton

Joseph W. Eaton (born Josef Wechsler; September 28, 1919) is an American sociologist and anthropologist. He is listed in Who is Who in the World for his published research and academic career in public and international affairs, social work and public health.

Early life and education

Eaton was born in Nuremberg, Germany as Josef Wechsler on 28 September 1919 as the third of four brothers, he was ordered to leave High School (the Hohenzollern Gymnasium in Berlin) at the age of 13 as he and his ancestors were Jewish. The impoverished family could not emigrate as a unit. Joseph was allowed to come to the United States to complete his education under the auspices of the German-Jewish Children’s Aid (GJCA) program. It looked after unaccompanied children from Europe, who needed foster care and financial guarantees against becoming a public charge in order to complete their education in the United States.

Eaton and his three brothers fought against Germany during World War II, two in the United States Armed Forces and two as volunteers under British command in Palestine. As a result of Germany's successful Blitzkrieg offensive in 1940, their parents once again came under German control after Nazi troops occupied Holland. As nominal “traitors” to the country of their birth and citizenship, their four children changed their sur-name to Eaton to minimize risk to their parents in Amsterdam or to themselves, in the event they would be taken prisoner in combat.

After interruption by World War II military service, Joseph W. Eaton completed his doctorate at Columbia University, studying under Edmund De S. Brunner, Robert King Merton, Robert Staughton Lynd, Paul Lazersfeld and Robert Morrison MacIver in 1948. Eaton’s doctoral dissertation was published in 1943 by Harper Brothers under the title Exploring Tomorrow’s Agriculture. Eaton and Helen Fay Goodman were married in 1948. They have four children and six grandchildren.

Eaton served as Professor, University of Pittsburgh, 1960–1990, and professor emeritus since 1990.

Research projects

• Co-Director, Nationwide Survey of Title Insurance Management, Financed by FIRST, The Foundation for Insurance Regulatory Studies, 2000-2003. Final report published in 2007."The American Title Insurance Industry", New York University Press.
• Co-Director, Shared Waters: History of Development and Management of Water Resources of the Jordan River Watershed, a collaborative study with the School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin, 1992.-
• Director, US-USSR Joint Venture Research Project -, a collaborative effort of the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, the Katz School of Business, the School of Engineering, the Department of Economics and the University Center of International Studies, 1989.
• Research award, Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD), 1986.

Eaton was awarded a variety of research grants and teaching program development grants from the National Institute of Mental Health, the U. S. Office of Education, the Social Science Research Council, the U.S. Public Health Service, the National Association of Social Workers, the Rosenberg Foundation, Agency for International Development, Ford Foundation, the Mexican-U. S. Border Research Program, University of Texas at Austin, and other various university research development finds.

He served as a consultant and co-principal investigator under a Stanley Research Grant, Exploring the Causes of Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder in an Isolated Religious Community.

University administration

Eaton was Director of the Economic and Social Development Program and Organizer and coordinator of the dual degree program of the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and the Graduate School of Social Work. Joint appointments in the Department of Sociology and the School of Public Health, 1982-1987. He was also Director of the Inter-University Consortium of Institution Building, School of Public and International Affairs. With Ford Foundation and AID funds, it supported field studies by scholars and graduate students in several universities of institution (1966–1970).

Additionally, he was Director, School of Social Work, Haifa University, on leave from University of Pittsburgh, 1970-1975. Guest Lecturer to conduct seminar on “The Pro's and Con's of Privatization of Public Enterprises” at the Palmieri Togliatti Institute of Engineering Economics (A graduate level management school) in Leningrad in 1988. Feature Speaker, 41st Annual Conference of the Australian Universities Law School of Association and two Australian Law Schools on the subject of “Privacy Protection in the Silicon Age. Chip Age: A U.S. Commentary on the Australian Land Controversy”.

International teaching

Lecturer on Legal Issues: Monash University, Melbourne Australia and University of Sidney, Australia, as well as four lectures in Japan on Privacy. Security and the National l. D. Card Controversy in 1987.

Three-month consultation on specific projects and lectureship, U.S. International Communication Agency (U.S. Department of State), in Liberia, Nigeria, South Africa and Malawi, 1979. Academic responsibility for Study Tour of “Egypt in Transition to Peace,” Pittsburgh Informal Program, 1979. Lecturer for the U.S. Information Agency (USIA) in Sweden, the German Bundesrepublic, Romania, Sudan, Israel, Egypt, 1982–1986; Egypt, Nepal. Pakistan, Iraq, and Ethiopia, 1988. Crown Prince Hassan Pittsburgh leadership delegation to Jordan, 1988; American observer at East and West German Middle East Experts meeting.

Exchange Scholar to study sociology and social planning as guest of the National Academies of Science in Poland and the German Democratic Republic, 1980.

Fulbright Scholar in Africa, 1979.

Professional service and recognition

• Member, Educational Policy Committee of the Senate of the University of Pittsburgh, including chairmanship of a Committee to review the Library and Information Sciences Programs.

• Chairman of the Research Council of the National Association of Social Workers, 1968-197l. Several terms as liaison officer between the American Sociological Association and the NASW, as an appointee of the ASA and/or the National Board of NASW.

• Faculty Research Fellowship, Social Science Research Council, 1962.

• Elected to Sociological Research Society, 1956.

• Listed in Who's Who in America and Who is Who in the World

• Community Service Member, Cable Industry Advisory Committee, City Council, 1994-; Chairperson, January 1996-2000.

• Member, Pittsburgh Study Mission To Northern Ireland, 1993.

Military service

U.S. Army in the U.S..1942-46, Supreme Headquarters, SHAEF, Psychological Warfare Service, 4th Mobile Radio Broadcasting Company and Editor, Regensburger Post, 1944 – 46. Summary of Military Occupation in Separation Qualification Record, dated 6 March 1946, Army Serial Number 32 498 461

Editor—In the European theater, edited a newspaper for German civilian population in Bavaria, with a circulation of 400 000. Supervised stall of 50, civilian and military personnel. Directed the layout of each edition, collected local news and reported on special feature events. Wrote editorials. Checked on the reactions of Germans towards U.S. Military Government press and propaganda activities. At U.S. controlled radio stations, prepared radio transcripts and made recordings of recently captured enemy prisoners, under combat conditions.