50 Years of Peace Studies 1973-2023

What the world needs now, more than ever, is peace and people to help

achieve that.

In 1972, the Quaker Peace Studies Trust (QPST) was established to raise

£75,000 (equivalent to £785,000 today) to matchfund money from the

University of Bradford to establish the first chair of Peace Studies. This

was raised in just 10 weeks. Adam Curle was recruited from Harvard

University to become the first professor of Peace Studies in the new

Department of Peace Studies in 1973.

QPST has supported Peace Studies at Bradford through many

challenges, both external and internal, ever since. It has raised funds to

support research into, and the teaching of, peace studies for over 50

years and intends to do so for another 50 years.

Amongst many things, QPST financed a place to house a Centre for

Conflict Research, supported research by staff covering issues ranging

from the biological and toxin weapons treaty to peace on the streets of

Bradford. More recently, it focused on enhancing the skills and hands-

on experience of students studying peace through activities such as

study visits, immersive and creative activities and peace education.

From its founding in 1973, the then School of Peace Studies has seen many ups and

downs. During the late 1970s, Mrs Thatcher famously quipped “Has that peace

studies problem been dealt with yet?” due to its stellar research on nuclear

disarmament. She sent an inspector to try and find grounds to shut down the

department – and failed.

Under the leadership of James O’Connell in the 1980s, Paul Rogers and Oliver

Ramsbotham in the 1990s, the Department of Peace Studies became a globally

recognised centre for peace studies, international relations, and security studies.

See our Peace Studies postcards from past students in the department

50 years of Peace Studies/PSID at Bradford: a celebration of our alumni community