A tribute to Dr Ken Macnab: August 1940 – June 2026

Professor Emeritus Frank Stilwell, University of Sydney on Friday 12 June.

I speak today as one of Ken’s former colleagues at the University of Sydney.

I knew him as a respected historian, emphasising Australian history, but also matters of war and global peace. And that latter aspect I think, was what I came to know him best about, through his role in the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, which he helped to form at the University of Sydney along with his other colleague, Professor Stuart Rees.

Ken was for many years, the President of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, which had a lifespan of about 30 years at the University of Sydney and some of the former colleagues from that important centre – which wasn’t just a conventional academic department at the university – it was bridging into community concerns, community activism, supporting a wide range of progressive movements. And Ken I think, was very central throughout the life of that important institution.

I might say Ken was also active in university governance matters, he was commonly an elected member of the staff association, the forerunner of the academic union, and on other University governance bodies such as the academic board and the University Senate. So, he didn’t shirk or shy away from taking on administrative roles, as well as being a renowned good teacher.

In Stuart Rees’s remarks focusing in particular, on the Centre for Peace & Conflict Studies that I want to read to you. Stuart couldn’t be here today because he’s in Europe. He would be gutted that he couldn’t be here for his buddy, his comrade Ken, but he’s written to say the following:

Our wonderful friend Ken,

Over decades as a close friend and a totally reliable and imaginative colleague, Ken was an invaluable companion. Advisor, and a therapist when encouraging me to slow down. He provided strong support in the creation of the University of Sydney’s Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies (that was in 1988) and in the founding of the Sydney Peace Foundation 10 years later.

When negotiating with university authorities, we played good guy-bad guy. Ken––believe it or not––was the personable good guy with his invaluable dry humour. One vice Chancellor even told Ken, ‘We could have made quicker progress, it’s a pity you had to bring Prof. Rees with you!’

But whatever the crisis, whatever the academic conundrums, Ken was there. I trusted him with my manuscripts. He replied by return. I claimed the credit but now, perhaps too late, I have to acknowledge, that in those papers, any easy flow of phrase, any historical insights or elimination of unnecessary adjectives, was as much a Ken achievement as mine. We served for years as elected staff representatives on the university Senate.

Ken as a highly respected representative of the staff union was re-elected several times. In his last years, Ken summoned enormous courage to suffer and shoulder debilitating surgery, consequent illness and limited life chances.

He still got up early to go to the gym though and behaved as though almost everything was normal and that he might get better. He still deplores the absurd caution of the federal government and the anti-free speech policies of the state government. Right to the end he was selfless, never promoting himself, always solid in friendship, and for human rights.

And in my comrade side by side, still paces silent at my side.

In solidarity, with love and at least a thousand thanks,

Stuart Rees.

In summary, consensus is that Ken was an extraordinary man, of great character, wit and wisdom.

A legendary teacher, a generous and caring mentor, colleague and friend with an irreverent sense of humour who played a key role in the work of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies and the Sydney Peace Foundation.

Always in our hearts. Indeed, Ken will be long remembered, sadly missed and appreciated by many for his warmth, with and wisdom.

Farewell Ken.

Dr Ken Macnab, BA (Hons) (UNE) D.Phil. (Sussex), retired in 2001 from the Department of History, University of Sydney, where for 36 years he taught courses ranging from broad Modern European history, through Imperialism, Nationalism and Racism and English Class and Culture to the histories of Crime and Punishment, Deviance and Violence. His research interests included the history of warfare and peacemaking, and capital punishment and interpersonal conflict (such as duelling). His work also concentrated on the nature and history of terrorism, and the implications of the post-September 11 “war on terrorism”. He was for some years President of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Sydney, where he also taught a postgraduate unit on “Cultures of Violence” and supervised postgraduate research.                                         

Read ‘Dulce et Decorum: The Marketing of War,’ by Dr Ken Macnab, via the Sydney Peace Foundation and first published in Online Opinion, 27 February 2012.