Background
Davis, Robert Leslie was born on August 22, 1942 in Limavady, Northern Ireland. Son of Robert John and Agnes Bell (McCann) Davis.
Davis, Robert Leslie was born on August 22, 1942 in Limavady, Northern Ireland. Son of Robert John and Agnes Bell (McCann) Davis.
Bachelor in French and Spanish with honors, Queen's University, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 1965. Doctor of Philosophy, Queen's University, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 1970.
English teacher, Lycee Poincare, Nancy, France, 1965-1966;
lecturer in English, U. Nancy, 1965-1967;
assistant lecturer in French, St. Paul's College, Cheltenham, England, 1970-1972;
senior lecturer in French, Kingston Polytechnic Institute, Kingston on Thames, England, 1972-1980;
professor applied languages, Dublin (Ireland) City U., since 1980;
head department applied languages, Dublin (Ireland) City U., 1980-1994. Director North Monastery Language Center, Cork, Ireland, since 1989. Consultant E.C. Tempus Office, Brussels, 1992-1994.
Consultant European Training Foundation, Turin, since 1994. Member Eurotra management committee European Commission Brussels, 1988-1992, member language research and engineering working group, Luxembourg, since 1992, member language engineering working group, Luxembourg, since 1994. Member telematics advising committee Irish Office of Science and Technology, 1996.
Although brought up as a Christian, he has come to the conclusion (based on the recent history of his own country and, notably, from a research trip to Bosnia in 1996) that religion can slip too easily into bigotry, sectarianism and other types of intolerance.
He may best be described as a liberal thinker. Has little time for extremism of any kind. Believes passionately in the right to freedom of thought and speech, though advocates we strike a balance between freedom and responsibility (based on the principle that "my freedom ends where your nose begins").
Member Society for Celine Studies (international president 1980-1985), Society for French Studies.
Married Rosemary Audrey Blake-Knox, August 26, 1970. 1 child, Alexander Robert Ross.