Have you ever wondered what makes your course tutors tick? Inside ICE meets some of the Institute's new faces to find out more about them: from why they're fascinated by their specialist subjects to their hidden talents and even their desert island discs...

Dr Max Stafford

Course: Undergraduate Certificate in Politics

Subject specialism: British Politics

How is this course relevant to our current world?

Politics is the study of how we want to live, both now and in the future. It helps us to better understand how decisions are made and why. 

Who has inspired you? 

My secondary school headteacher. He was an inspiring leader and had a firm sense of the empowerment that education could bring. He had a sign on his wall that said "The needs of the individual outweigh those of the many". Sounds incorrect but it meant that a class is formed of individuals who, when inspired by their passions, become a many that really can bring about change. 

What do you like to do outside of work? 

I love playing snooker. It really is a space where I can lose myself, mentally, and I think that we all need that. I also love to read and am currently trying to read 50 books per year, as a challenge (which I've singularly failed, so far)!

What would be your one Desert Island Disc? 

Mozart Clarinet Concerto, 3rd Movement. Whether I'm feeling up or down, this always lifts my spirits further. It's a genuinely joyful tune and I never fail to enjoy it. I can't swim, but I'd still happily dive into the waves of the desert island to save that disc!

Learn more

Find out more about Dr Max Stafford and the Undergraduate Certificate in Politics

---

This was originally published in our Long-Vacation - Michaelmas 2021 issue of Inside ICE.