In memoriam: Professor A J R (‘John’) Groom

It is with sadness that we bring the news that former BISA Chair, Professor A J R Groom, has passed away. Richard Whitman, Professor of Politics and International Relations, and Director of Research and Innovation at the University of Kent, outlines some of Professor Groom's main contributions and achievements during his successful career in international relations.

Professor A J R (‘John’) Groom, Emeritus Professor of International Relations at the University of Kent, has passed away, leaving a distinguished legacy as a leading figure in international relations scholarship and conflict analysis. During his long tenure at Kent, Professor Groom served as Head of the Department of Politics and International Relations until 2001 (and was key in the establishment of the University’s London Centre of International Relations and the Brussels School of International Studies), establishing conflict analysis as a key field of study and one of the university’s foremost academic strengths - a tradition that continues to enrich its curriculum and research.

A committed proponent of academic collaboration, Professor Groom was instrumental in building bridges across Europe’s scholarly community. He was active in BISA, including a period as Chair from 1990-1991. He used his linguistic and diplomatic skills to play a seminal role in founding the Standing Group on International Relations (SGIR) in 1990 under the European Consortium for Political Research, and served as its chair for ten years, laying the groundwork for its pan-European conferences and the European Journal of International Relations. It is fair to say that without his contribution, the European International Studies Association as we know it would not exist. He also provided editorial leadership to major journals, serving as editor of Global Society for many years and later co-editing the European Review of International Studies (ERIS), which he helped launch as a platform for rigorous international studies scholarship with a special focus on early career researchers. On top of that, he played a major role in supporting the World International Studies Committee (WISC). He changed the landscape of International Relations in Europe, enabling it to form its own identity outside of ISA.

As a scholar, Groom’s contributions were wide-ranging. He was an authority on international relations theory, conflict resolution, functionalism and international organisations. His co-authored books on functionalism and international organisations with Paul Taylor became foundational texts in the field. Earlier in his career, he partnered with pioneering conflict theorist John Burton at University College London’s Centre for the Analysis of Conflict, where they developed innovative approaches to conflict resolution. Over the course of his career, Professor Groom mentored numerous students and colleagues, exemplifying the values of rigorous scholarship and international cooperation. His influence endures through the institutions he built and the many scholars he inspired.