Dr Aaron Rapport 1980-2019

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our colleague and friend, Dr Aaron Rapport, who died on Thursday 27 June 2019, aged 38 years. Aaron had been ill for four years with metastatic cancer which he fought with characteristic bravery and remarkable good ​humour: he died peacefully in the Arthur Rank Hospice, Cambridge surrounded by his family.

Aaron had been a Fellow of Corpus Christi College since 2014 and lecturer in the Department of Politics and International Studies at Cambridge since 2013. He kept working throughout the long journey of his illness, much to the admiration of his colleagues and the gratitude of his students, and contributed to many episodes of Talking Politics over the past few years. Aaron was a strong, drily witty and vibrant presence wherever he went, whether teaching in his department, supervising students in College or lunching at High Table. He was a fine scholar who had already established a considerable international reputation, particularly following the publication of his book, Waging War, Planning Peace: U.S. Noncombat Operations and Major Wars (Cornell UP, 2015).

Aaron’s kindness, spectacular sense of humour and fierce intellect is already deeply missed by the entire Talking Politics team: we offer our heartfelt sympathies to his friends and family.