Martin Wight1913-1972

Occupations

1935 – 1949: bookseller, schoolteacher, journalist

1949 – 1961: Reader in the Department of International Relations at the London School of Economics (LSE)

1962: Professor of History at the new University of Sussex

Background

Unconventional thinker Strong religious convictions Deep concerns about politics and

morality Leitmotif “crisis” due to WWI Enigmatic character Studied Modern History

Key event

1956-1957 visiting scholar at the University of Chicago

assumed the absent Hans Morgenthau‘s teaching possibilities

instead of diplomacy he taught IR Lectures were later reconstructed and

published as “International Theory: The Three Traditions”

Some Publications

1936 „Christian Pacifism“ 1946 „The development of the

Legislative Council“ 1946 „Power Politics“ 1947 „The Gold Coast Legislative

Council“ 1948 „The Church, Russia and the

West“ 1951 contributed to „Attitude to Africa“

1952 Collection of „British Colonial Constitutions“

1956 „The Power Struggle within the United Nations“

1960 „Why is there no International Theory?“, „Brutus in Foreign Policy“

1964 „European Studies“ 1977 „Systems of States“ 1991 “International Theory: The

Three Traditions”

Sources

International Journal Vol. 48, No3, Summer 1993

Hall Ian, 2006, The International Thought of Martin Wight

The Martin Wight Memorial Trust, www.mwmt.co.uk

Porter Brian, 2007, Review article The international political thought of Martin Wight, International Affairs 83: 4, 783–789

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