Burns, Arthur Lee

• Professor Arthur L. Burns

Professor Arthur Burns was a Professor of Political Science, specialising in superpower rivalry, nuclear weapons and game theory. Born in Summer Hill, Sydney on 24 March 1922 to Crayton and Denise Burns, Arthur Burns was educated at Scotch College, before studying history, theology and philosophy at the University of Melbourne. In 1946 he was awarded a Masters in Philosophy and History for his thesis on Historical Explanation. In the same year Burns married Netta Cox, and was ordained as a Presbyterian minister. In 1947 to 1948 he attended the London School of Economics under a British Council Scholarship. On returning to Melbourne, Burns tutored and lectured in Church History at Ormond College Theological Hall, and in History at the University of Melbourne. He was appointed Research Fellow in International Relations within the Research School of Pacific Studies at the Australian National University in 1955. In 1961 Burns transferred to the Department of Political Science, Research School of Social Sciences, where he oversaw a Defence Studies Project 1963 – 1966, which was managed by the department on behalf of the Australian Institute of International Affairs. Burns was appointed to second Chair in the Department in 1966. He undertook international posts at a variety of institutions including the Universities of Princeton and Chicago, and the Royal Institute of Strategic Studies. Burns published prolifically in the 1950s and 1960s, with his major works being From Balance to Deterrence (1956), and Of powers and their politics: a critique of theoretical approaches (1968). Burns was involved in litigation with the ANU 1981 to 1994 after his employment was terminated. He was an independent candidate for the Australian Capital Territory Assembly in 1995 as part of the Abolish Self Government Coalition, but died five days before the election.