Ralph Summy

Professor Ralph Summy "taught political science at the University of Queensland for 33 years, establishing the interdisciplinary major in “Peace and Conflict Studies”. In 1997 he became direcor of the Matsunaga Institute for Peace at the University of Hawaii.

"Now officially retired, Professor Summy is still active in researching, writing, lecturing and is currently working on a television series “Overcoming Violence and Pursuing Peace: Challenge of the 21st Century”. Professor Summy will give an address on this theme, examining the values that are necessary for a non-violent society, and how an individual’s personal life needs to reflect those values."

"Ralph Summy was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA. His family came from the heart of the 'Pennsylvania Dutch' country where he was first exposed to peace values. He received a full scholarship to Phillips Exeter Academy and then graduated from Harvard (AB). In 1960 he became the Director of the Greater Boston Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy (SANE), but after coming under investigation for his political activities by the Senate Internal Security Sub-Committee headed by Senator Dodd, he decided to emigrate to Australia where he has resided for the past 40 years. He joined the staff of the Department of Government at the University of Queensland, teaching courses in American political thought and American political institutions and behaviour before introducing in 1976 and 1977 a couple of courses on nonviolent politics. Shortly thereafter he initiated and directed for many years that University's interdisciplinary peace & conflict studies program. On retiring at the end of 1996, he accepted the Directorship of the Matsunaga Institute for Peace, University of Hawai'i. He is now permanently retired from both institutions but continues to do research on the topics of nonviolence and peace movements, fields in which he has written numerous books and articles. He is a past member of the Council of the International Peace Research Association, and from 1998 to 2008 he was convenor or co-convenor of IPRA's Nonviolence Commission. In 1977 he founded the journal Social Alternatives and after 30 years on the editorial collective continues to serve on its Advisory Board. At the end of 2004 he was invited to join the Australian Centre for Peace & Conflict Studies at the University of Queensland as an adjunct professor."


 * Editorial Advisor, Peace Review: A Journal of Social Justice
 * Adjunct Professor, Australian Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies
 * Global Advisory Board, Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies
 * Editorial Board, International Journal of Peace Studies