Jim Hagan was born at Bondi Junction on 23 October 1929 and educated at Bondi Public School and Sydney Boys' High. He graduated with an arts degree with honours at the University of Sydney (1949) and while studying a Diploma of Education founded the Trainee Teachers' Association. As a teacher he was active in the NSW Teachers' Federation. In 1956 he joined the Caringbah branch of the Australian Labor Party, later serving as vice-president of the Thirroul branch of the ALP. Hagan moved to Canberra in 1963 where he studied at the Australian National University for a PhD on printing unions. His research produced the book Printers and Politics(1966). From 1966 he lectured in history at Wollongong College and was active in the Wollongong University Staff Association. He became head of the department of history and eventually dean of arts, University of Wollongong. In 1976, he became chairman of the board of governors, Riverina College of Advanced Education, which was a precursor to the Riverina campus of Charles Sturt University. Hagan was an executive member of the Evatt Foundation between 1982-1997. From 1990 to June 2001 he was deputy chancellor of Charles Sturt University. Hagan died in November 2009.