The Department of Political Studies is saddened to learn of the recent passing of the highly esteemed Professor Emeritus Dr. Edwin Black at the age of 94.
Dr. Black began his career at the University of British Columbia. His time at Queen's was detailed in his obituary:
He joined Queen’s University in 1967. He published books and articles on a wide range of subjects, including federalism, Canadian politics, political communications, and public administration. An 18-month leave period allowed him to join the staff of the House of Commons, where, under the leadership of Robert Stanfield, he set up and directed the Research Office of the Official Opposition. Later, as director of Queen’s School of Public Administration, he set up the Master of Public Administration program for working public servants. A long-time member of McGill-Queen’s University Press, he also held organizational positions at the Centre for Resource Studies, the Institute for Inter-Governmental Relations, and the Canadian Journal of Political Science. He was president of the Canadian Political Science Association and also served as head of the Department of Political Studies. He retired from Queen’s in 1994.
Current Head of Department Dr. Jonathan Rose had the privilege of being supervised by Dr. Black during his PhD. Dr. Rose commented on X (Twitter),
So sad to hear that Edwin R. Black passed away on Dec. 1st. Ed was a superb scholar, teacher and mentor. His easy laugh and infectious enthusiasm were not just contagious but his calling card when he entered a room. But it's his legacy of service that stands as an exemplar. Among other things, Ed was president of the CPSA, set up the Research Office of the Official Opposition, created the professional MPA program at Queen's and was Head of Political Studies. He was a great mentor and colleague and as a scholar, his impact on the study of Federalism was influential and enduring.
Dr. Black's obituary can be read here.
