Davis, Joyce M. 1953–

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DAVIS, Joyce M. 1953–

PERSONAL: Born July 29, 1953, in New Orleans, LA; daughter of Albert O. (a Baptist minister) and Gloria (a teacher; maiden name, Le Conte) Davis; married Russell W. Goodman (a journalist), November 28, 1985; children: Cole Davis. Ethnicity: "African-American." Education: Attended Loyola University, 1970–73, and Center for the Formation and Perfection of Journalism, 1987–88. Religion: Christian.

ADDRESSES: Agent—c/o Author Mail, Palgrave Macmillan, 175 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10010. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER: Times-Picayune, New Orleans, LA, assistant metropolitan editor, 1972–90; National Public Radio, Washington, DC, began as deputy foreign editor, became foreign editor, 1990–97; Knight Ridder Newspapers, Washington, DC, deputy foreign editor, 1997–2003; Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Prague, Czech Republic, associate director of broadcasting, 2003–. U.S. Institute of Peace, fellow, 1983–84; Journalistes en Europe, fellow, 1987–88; Atlantic-Bruëcke, fellow, 1989. Pulitzer Prize, juror, 1999–2000. Office of the U.S. Secretary of State, cochair of Open Forum for International Women's Day, 2001; Women in International Security, member of advisory board; BMW-Herbert Quandt Transatlantic Forum, fellow; Johns Hopkins University Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, Baltimore, MD, journalist-in-residence, 2003.

AWARDS, HONORS: Columbia-DuPont Silver Batons, 1990–91, for coverage of war in Kuwait, and 1995–96, for coverage of war in Chechnya.

WRITINGS:

Between Jihad and Salaam: Profiles in Islam, St. Martin's Press (New York, NY), 1997.

Martyrs: Innocence, Vengeance, and Despair in the Middle East, Palgrave Macmillan (New York, NY), 2003.

Contributor to periodicals.

WORK IN PROGRESS: The War within Islam: Islamic Moderates, Militants, and Terrorism.

SIDELIGHTS: Joyce M. Davis told CA: "My primary motivation for writing is to enlighten the American public about Islam, its leaders, and its doctrines, to help bridge the divide between Muslims and the West. I view this divide as one of the main threats to world stability in the twenty-first century. One of my earliest models in this field was Dr. John Esposito, whose work I have admired. I also have studied the works of Dr. Akbar Ahmed and other moderate Islamic thinkers.

"I write quickly and with the intention of clearly disseminating information, in the journalistic form. The most important mission of my work is to provide information and objective reporting on a most sensitive but vital topic for Americans. I have approached writing books in the same way I have done major reports for broadcast and print media—providing thorough reporting, in-depth interviews, and insights into people who are shaping world events although they are little known in the West.

"My fifteen years of reporting and supervising coverage of the Middle East led me to try to provide a deeper analysis than daily journalism allows. My work as a fellow at the United States Institute of Peace first allowed me the break from daily journalism to pursue more in-depth research and analysis. I also have been privileged to work with dedicated, talented editors who were committed to supporting my work."