Michael van Walt van Praag

Michael van Walt van Praag

Modern International Relations
and International Law

School of Historical Studies

Michael van Walt van Praag joins the School of Historical Studies as a Visiting Professor in the School of Historical Studies, starting on November 1, 2011. He is an international lawyer specializing in intra-state conflict resolution, has served as advisor and consultant to numerous governmental and non-governmental organizations in peace talks in regions ranging from Chechnya to Papua New Guinea, and is currently Executive President of Kreddha, an international, non-governmental organization for the prevention and resolution of violent intra-state conflicts which he founded in 1999.

The author of two books on the current status of Tibet and two on conflict resolution, Michael van Walt van Praag has held visiting teaching and research positions at Stanford, UCLA, Indiana, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and the Golden Gate University School of Law. He is now engaged in work on the causes of conflicts and obstacles to their resolution, focusing in particular on the ways in which history is perceived and mobilized by the antagonistic parties. This is an area in which historians, political theorists and international lawyers can find a common ground for reflection and research, since the political use and abuse of history is so relevant to understanding and promoting the resolution of present conflicts. Michael van Walt is going to add a new focus and dimension to our School, as his work is open to interactions in multiple fields across Historical Studies and the Social Sciences.