A National Leader Joins the Faculty at Carolina

Imagine a major where classes range from international relations and global politics to the history of deception — from ancient Greek warfare to the sounds of war and revolution — where faculty from multiple disciplines teach an array of approaches to the fundamental issues of human conflict, national and global security and defense.

Founded in 1970, Carolina’s Peace, War and Defense (PWAD) curriculum, housed in the UNC College of Arts & Sciences, remains one of a kind. The War Studies Department at King’s College London is its closest equivalent in the English-speaking world.

Thanks to a new distinguished professorship, Carolina was able to recruit Admiral Dennis Blair — former Director of National Intelligence and leader of 16 national intelligence agencies — to the PWAD faculty as the first Knott Distinguished Visiting Professor of the Practice. 

Blair brings to Carolina 34 years of experience in the U.S. Navy; when he retired he was Commander and Chief, U.S. Pacific Command. After retirement, he was president and CEO of the Institute for Defense Analyses, then Director of National Intelligence. He served in high-level administrative positions under five presidents: Ford, Reagan, Clinton, G.W. Bush, Obama. 

“It’s time to pass on some of the things I’ve learned to coming generations,” said Blair.

Read the complete Carolina Story…

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