John Strawson

John Strawson is an author and law professor at the University of East London School of Law, where he teaches International law and Middle East Studies. He specialises in the area of law and postcolonialism, with particular reference to the middle east, Islam and international law.

His previous posts include visiting positions at Birzeit University (Palestine) and the Institute of Social Studies (The Hague Netherlands).

One of the themes in the research undertaken by John Strawson is the encounter between western and Islamic law.

He is Director of Law Postgraduate Programmes at the University of East London, and Director of the Centre on Human Rights in Conflict.

Views on Israel

According to Strawson, the use of the term apartheid to describe Israel or Israeli policies has become commonplace in certain liberal and leftist circles. Strawson wrote that this label does not apply to Israel, and suggests that the use of the apartheid analogy is casual, unhistorical, and unhelpful.

Books

John Strawson (British Army officer)

Major General John Strawson CBE (1 January 1921 – 21 February 2014) was a British Army officer. Known best for his service during the Second World War in the Middle East and Italy, and afterwards in Germany and Malaya. Following the amalgamation of the 4th and 8th Hussars as The Queen's Royal Irish Hussars, he commanded the Regiment in Malaysia and Germany. For his leadership during the Borneo campaign he was awarded the O.B.E.

Later he commanded at brigade level and was Chief of Staff, United Kingdom Land Forces. For this latter service he was awarded a C.B.E. He had previously been awarded the US Bronze Star for his leadership during the Italian campaign of 1944-45. In civilian life he became a prolific author, especially on military matters.

Early life

John Strawson was born in Ealing in 1921. His father was the headmaster of an East London secondary school whose health was ruined by four years of service on the Western Front during the Great War. He died prematurely in 1936, leaving Strawson, his brothers Galen and Peter and sister Margaret in impoverished circumstances. Unlike Peter, who successfully achieved a bursary to St John's College, Oxford, and went on to become a noted philosopher, John was, by necessity, obliged to join the Civil Service leaving that to join the army at the outbreak of hostilities in 1939.