Michael Ignatieff

Canadian academic, author, journalist and former politician Michael Ignatieff served as Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 to 2011. As an academic, Ignatieff is best known for his work on human rights, foreign policy and nation-building.

Born in Toronto, the elder son of Russian diplomat George Ignatieff received his PhD in history from Harvard University, and went on to develop a successful career as an academic and a journalist. Ignatieff was known in the United Kingdom as a radio and television broadcaster and editorial columnist for the Observer. He has written numerous works of fiction and non-fiction; the latter include Blood and Belonging: Journeys Into the New Nationalism, The Rights Revolution (based on his Massey Lectures of 2000), and Isaiah Berlin: A Life.

After resigning from the Liberal Party in 2011, Ignatieff became senior resident at the University of Toronto’s Massey College, where he teaches political science and law.