Anderson's work has focused upon geopolitics: the application of all facets of geography in political decision-making and development studies. His particular emphasis has been on applied research in the arid and semi-arid zone, with special reference to the Middle East; on water and minerals resources issues; and on international boundary disputes. He is also an expert on child welfare issues.
After completing his education at Dulwich College and service in the Royal Navy, he attended St Edmund Hall, Oxford, and first played for Oxford University Cricket Club in 1961.[1] His highest score of 13* came when playing for Oxford University in the match against Leicestershire County Cricket Club.[2] His best bowling of 3/69 came when playing for Oxford University in the match against Glamorgan County Cricket Club.[3] He played against the touring teams from Australia (1961) and Pakistan (1962). He also played Rugby for the university.
After graduating, he worked as a teacher at Downside and Birkenhead schools. In 1972, he was appointed principal lecturer and Head of Geography at the College of the Venerable Bede, Durham, and in 1979 became lecturer in geography at the University of Durham. In 1995 he was appointed Professor of Geopolitics at the Centre for Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at Durham, a post he held until 2001.[4][5]
In carrying out research and practical studies on international boundaries, refugee movements, development, strategic resources and transboundary problems, particularly of water, he has worked for many governments and for the United Nations. For six years he was in charge of boundary research for Saudi Arabia. He has also worked as strategic analyst to SACEUR (Supreme Allied Commander Europe) at SHAPE (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe), and is a member of the UK Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre panel on future defence issues.[4] For most of his career, he worked with and carried out research for the Royal Navy and retired as a Commander RNR in 1991.
His main fields of study have included :-
International boundaries, including research for the World Court of Justice and for a number of Middle East national governments
Water resources and related issues in the Middle East
International defence issues, including strategy, logistics and procurement
Child welfare, particularly in relation to boarding schools.
From 1973 to 1991 he was research officer with the UK Boarding Schools Association, Director of the DES Clearing House for Boarding, and edited the journal Boarding Education. From 2000 to 2005, he was honorary professor of residential child welfare at the University of York.[4]
He has worked in over 70 countries, contributed to a large number of international research programmes and conferences, and been a visiting professor at universities in Qatar, Barcelona, Malta, and the US. He holds doctorates in geography, politics and residential education. He is a former president of the International Federation of Educative Communities (England and Wales), a member of the Residential Forum and a fellow of the Dartington Social Research Unit. He was awarded a Leverhulme Emeritus Fellowship in 2008[5] and in 2017, he was awarded a Doctorate of Letters by Oxford University.
In a statistical overview derived from writings by and about Ewan Anderson, OCLC/WorldCat encompasses roughly 50+ works in 100+ publications in 3 languages and 4,000+ library holdings.
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