Ward, Thomas

Professor of Peace and Development

Thomas Ward served eighteen years as Dean and Vice President at the University of Bridgeport: President & CEO (2019–2022) and then Provost & Chief Academic Officer (2022–2024) at HJ International Graduate School for Peace and Public Leadership in Manhattan and currently serve as Professor of Peace and Development. Earlier career highlights include conducting high level seminars on comparative political systems for government and civil society representatives across Latin America, Europe, the United States; and Asia as well as official government appointments in human rights (Dutchess County, NY) and international education policy (Connecticut Department of Higher Education). Published in East Asia (Springer), Cambridge University Press Online, Bitter Winter, the Journal of CESNUR, HJI Publications, Journal of Living Together, and the Washington Times among other venues. Books include Development, Social Justice and Civil Society: The Political Economy of NGOs (Paragon 2005), March to Moscow—The Role of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon in the Collapse of Communism (Paragon 2006), Park Statue Politics: World War II Comfort Women Memorials (E-InternationalRelations 2019).

Research Statement

Theories of Peace and Development with a special focus on intellectual, social and religious movements of the 18th to 21st Centuries.

Research Interests

Dr. Ward’s research focuses on the areas of peace and development: the study of deviant and pernicious worldviews; the application of Unificationism to social issues and discourse; and reflections on the lives and ministries of Sun Myung Moon and Hak Ja Han.

• The Political Economy of NGOs and Development (Adam Smith and Karl Marx)
• Peace Studies (World War II Comfort Women; Michael Lund and John Paul Lederach)
• Belief Systems: Marxism, Secularism, Nazism, French Theory, and the Anti-Cult Movement
• Reflections on the Lives and Ministries of Sun Myung Moon and Hak Ja Han

Keywords: Political Economy – Peace Studies – Recent Social Movements and Pernicious Worldviews — Sun Myung Moon — Hak Ja Han

Digital Projects / Websites

Medium Blog: Lenin Feared the Saints

D.Ed. De La Salle University
Doctorant (Doctoral Student) Catholic Institute of Paris
M.R.E. Unification Theological Seminary
M.A. California State University
Dipl.(Hons), Dipl. Sup. (D.S.) University of Paris-Sorbonne
B.A. University of Notre Dame

Books:

Thomas J. Ward and William D. Lay, Park Statue Politics: World War II Comfort Women Memorials in the United States, (London: E-International Relations, 2019).
Thomas J. Ward, March to Moscow—The Role of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon in the Collapse of Communism (Paragon, 2006).
Ed. Thomas J. Ward, Development, Social Justice, and Civil Society—An Introduction to the Political Economy of NGOs, (Minneapolis: Paragon House, 2005).
Ed. Thomas J. Ward and Frederick A. Swarts, The 104th Congress and the United Nations: Understanding the Issues, (New York: World Leadership Publications, 1996).
Bo Hi Pak, William Lay, Thomas Ward, CAUSA Lecture Manual, (New York: CAUSA Institute, 1984).
D’Herbais, Pierre Guillaume trans. by Thomas J. Ward, A Guide to Pensions in the E.E.C. (Paris: C.E.R.R. Publications, 1991).

Articles:

Thomas J. Ward, “The Human Cost of the Media’s Uncritical Acceptance of Anti-Cult Narratives,” Ed. Massimo Introvigne and Thomas Walsh, Threats to Religious Freedom—Root Causes and Paths Forward, (New York: HJI and CESNUR Publication, 2026).
Thomas J. Ward, “The Unification Church and the Pal Paradox in Japan,” Bitter Winter, February 17, 2026.
Thomas J. Ward, “When Established Religions turn to State Power: Korea’s Dangerous Precedent,” The Korea Times, January 21, 2026.
Thomas J. Ward, “Learning to Empathize in a Time of Judgement,” The Korea Times, December 16, 2025.
Thomas J. Ward, “Religious Freedom is Not a Reward for the Thologically Correct,” The Korea Times, December 3, 2025.
Thomas J. Ward, “Revisiting a Forgotten Alliance: Kim Dae Jung, the Moons, and Korea’s Democratic Journey,” Bitter Winter, November 6, 2025.
Thomas J. Ward, “A Selective Compassion? President Lee’s Chuseok and the Detention of a Religious Refugee,” Bitter Winter, October 11, 2025.
Thomas J. Ward, “The Comfort Women Controversy—Lessons from Taiwan,” Cambridge University Press Online, March 14, 2025.
Thomas J. Ward, “No Good and Evil: The Unification Church and the Repurposing of a Bolivian Coup,” Journal of CESNUR, March-April 2025.
Thomas J. Ward, “Religion’s Mitigating Role in Pyongyang-Washington Relations,” ICERMediation Journal of Living Together, Fall 2023.
Thomas J. Ward, “The Washington Times Factor in Pyongyang’s First Suspension of ‘Hate America Month,’” Washington Times, June 26, 2022.
Thomas J. Ward, “The Emperor’s Dignity: A Candid Primer on Korean Reunification,” E-International Relations, May 2021.
Thomas J. Ward and William D. Lay, “The Pros and Cons of Comfort Women Park Statues,” E-International Relations, December 7, 2018.
Thomas J. Ward, “The Comfort Women Controversy—Lessons from Taiwan,” The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus, April 15, 2018.
Thomas J. Ward, “China, Taiwan, and an Important Anniversary,” The Washington Times, February 27, 2017.
Thomas J. Ward, “The Comfort Women Controversy: Not over Yet,” East Asia Quarterly, October 2016.
Thomas J. Ward, “How the Shanghai Rankings have Transformed French Education,” Journal of Global Development and Peace, Fall 2013.

PST 5101 Conflict Analysis and Transformation
LTR 5503 Unification Worldview and Society
PST 5190 Internships
PST 5189 Internship Preparation

Awarded Distinguished Dean Emeritus status of the Bridgeport College of Public and International Affairs following eighteen years of service as dean (May 2019).
Keynote Speaker and Recipient of Annual Distinguished Service Award, International Center for Ethno-Religious Mediation, Manhattanville College (September 2022).
Member of Panel of Experts on the Comfort Women Issue, Topic: “Taiwan and World War II Comfort Women,” Columbia University School of Law (February 2024).
Served as principal liaison in Pyongyang at Cong. Richard Ichord’s request following the 1992 Track II diplomacy White House-supported initiative of a delegation of former US government officials to the DPRK; this led to the first ever cancellation of Pyongyang’s annual “Hate America Month” on June 23, 1992, which was conveyed at the request of the DPRK government by the American Freedom Coalition directly to President George H. W. Bush on June 24, 1992.
Elected to the Governing Board of the Committee on Teaching about the United Nations (CTAUN) (2018).
World Taekwondo Federation 4th Degree Honorary Black Belt for leadership role in the creation of the first accredited University-level Martial Arts degree in the Western world (2013).
Member of the Commissioner of Higher Education’s Policy Advisory Committee on International Education, Connecticut Department of Higher Education (2008-2011).
Human Rights Commissioner of Dutchess County, New York (1998-2000).
Served as Academic Director and later as Executive Vice President of CAUSA International and the American Leadership Conference (1980–1992).
Elected to the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society of the University of Notre Dame Chapter (1970).
Honorary Membership conferred by: Pi Sigma Alpha (National Political Science Honor Society), Sigma Iota Rho (International Studies Honor Society), Theta Alpha Kappa (National Honor Society for Religious Studies and Theology), and Phi Kappa Phi.