‘To understand society, you have to make human relationships, rather than structures, your focus’
Professor Stephen J Toope, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, reveals the reads which have had the greatest influence on his life
Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stephen J Toope (Trinity 1983), is an avid reader; as a consequence, he says that selecting titles for Shelfie proved rather challenging. So it is fascinating to note that, from the ability of humans to shape their laws to a quest for self-identity in a vastly unfamiliar world, Professor Toope’s choices have one thing in common: the championing of the humanity of individuals. “To understand society, you have to put human interrelationships, rather than structures, as the primary focus of your attention,” he says. That philosophy has informed his long career in international law and human rights – and is a theme reflected on his bookshelves.