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1/ Who was Susan Strange?
According to @LSEnews she was “arguably Britain’s most influential scholar of world politics" in the late twentieth century.
I think she should also be known as the LSE professor who saw the 2008 global financial crisis coming.
According to @LSEnews she was “arguably Britain’s most influential scholar of world politics" in the late twentieth century.
I think she should also be known as the LSE professor who saw the 2008 global financial crisis coming.
2/ But who was the (extraordinary) woman behind the six books and 100 plus articles?
I’m delighted that her only published autobiographical piece, “I Never Meant to Be an Academic” (genuine title), is now freely available online https://whit.web.ox.ac.uk/article/i-never-meant-be-academic
I’m delighted that her only published autobiographical piece, “I Never Meant to Be an Academic” (genuine title), is now freely available online https://whit.web.ox.ac.uk/article/i-never-meant-be-academic
3/ It is a pretty cracking read.
- Fleeing from the Nazis on a troopship from France
- Becoming pregnant (with the first of her 6 kids) in her 3rd year of uni
- Becoming Washington DC correspondent for @ObserverUK at 23
- Losing her teaching job at @ucl (see above re 6 kids) etc
- Fleeing from the Nazis on a troopship from France
- Becoming pregnant (with the first of her 6 kids) in her 3rd year of uni
- Becoming Washington DC correspondent for @ObserverUK at 23
- Losing her teaching job at @ucl (see above re 6 kids) etc
4/ For those who liked her brand of intellectual mischief and her barbs, she doesn’t disappoint.
She calls the @commonwealthsec: “a kind of methadone to the heroin addict, softening the withdrawal symptoms of a postimperial role”
She calls the @commonwealthsec: “a kind of methadone to the heroin addict, softening the withdrawal symptoms of a postimperial role”
5/ It’s impossible to read Strange’s words and not get a sense of her as a maverick and fiercely independent thinker.
My take – an introduction to Strange’s autobiographical piece – is here: https://whit.web.ox.ac.uk/article/stand-your-own-ideas-introduction-susan-stranges-autobiographical-essay-i-never-meant-be
My take – an introduction to Strange’s autobiographical piece – is here: https://whit.web.ox.ac.uk/article/stand-your-own-ideas-introduction-susan-stranges-autobiographical-essay-i-never-meant-be
6/ My favourite part of Strange’s article, though, has got to be the life advice she gives at the end. A formula she lived up to with remarkable tenacity and energy.
She writes that she tried to teach her children and students:
She writes that she tried to teach her children and students:
7/ “not to expect justice in life, but to try hard to get it; to work hard, but to qu authority, whether political or academic; to distrust ideologies, but to respect the evidence; to avoid following the crowd – but to trust your own judgement and to stand up for your own ideas.”
8/ My thanks to Patricia Owens at the excellent ‘Women and the History of International Thought’ project - @leverhulmewhit - at the University of Oxford for working with me on this and hosting the pieces.
And to @RLPGBooks for helping with our copyright enquiries.
And to @RLPGBooks for helping with our copyright enquiries.
