Helen Ware

Professor Ware has been an historian, a sociologist (working on prostitution), a demographer, a human rights advocate, a femocrat, an aid bureaucrat, a diplomat (High Commissioner to Zambia and Malawi, Ambassador to Angola) and now is that rare creature: a Professor of Peace Studies. Given such a varied background, she is strongly sympathetic to students who are combining their studies with non-academic employment, the demands of a family and the need for some resting time. However, given the potential impact of peace studies on the real world where people are dying and fleeing as refugees, she is also strongly devoted to critical thinking. Before criticising the biases of others, we should understand our own. Passionate defence of the rights of the disadvantaged is vital, but must be based on rational grounds and an in-depth understanding of the actual situation. My current focus is on working with students to maximize their achievement of their full potential.