There have been many heartfelt and thoughtful tributes to John Gerard Ruggie since his passing in September 2021. Some academics expressed their sentiments by exploring the ways in which his scholarship profoundly influenced the field of international relations, and their own path in that field. Practitioners spoke about how he reshaped the normative, legal and policy arena for global business and international organizations. Those who knew him personally spoke of his kindness and generosity. What was most striking to me is how he seemed to move so easily between scholarship and practice, between ideas and action. He was a role model for many and remains an inspiration to those who seek more engaged research and scholarship.

John Ruggie asked big questions about “how the world hangs together,” as he put it in one of his articles. He pushed back against a purely rationalist approach to modeling world politics and explored the influence of norms and ideas on international institutions. His scholarship on international institutions has been tremendously influential and appears on numerous graduate syllabi, shaping the evolution of the field. From the beginning of his career to the very end he continued to produce deeply thoughtful and important work.

Although he was one of the leading scholars of international organization, most of what he wrote was not aimed at policymakers. I was surprised when he was appointed as an advisor to then-UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. I assumed there must be a huge gulf between the ideas he wrestled with as a scholar and his new position advising the Secretary-General on what he should do. It was inspiring and fascinating for me to watch such a talented individual creatively address the issues facing the UN system at a significant historical moment. He came up with the right ideas at the right moment and then found ways to institutionalize his approach. He initiated processes that established new norms and expectations regarding the role of business in global society, and their obligations to the public good. Both the UN Global Compact and the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights constitute his legacy.

I once heard him say that when he began working for the UN he realized how far his theoretical work on international organizations was from the reality of how the institution works. And yet in a position that dealt with that reality, his scholarship nevertheless provided insight and guidance that informed his recommendations. For me, John Ruggie was a model of how to combine intellectual work with action that makes a difference.

Virginia Haufler is a professor at the University of Maryland at College Park. She is an associate of the Center for International Development and Conflict Management, and the Center for the Study of Business Ethics, Regulation and Crime (C-BERC). She currently serves as an advisor to the Sie Center Ethics of Responsible Engagement project and is a board member of Women in International Security. Her research and publications explore the role of the private sector in global governance, particularly focusing on the business role in conflict prevention. She participated in the early policy roundtables at the UN Global Compact addressing this issue, which at times included John Ruggie.

Watch a Business and Human Rights Journal webinar including a tribute to Professor Ruggie here.