John Smith (sociologist)
John Harold Smith (21 April 1927 – 4 May 2002) was an English sociologist.[1]
John Smith | |
|---|---|
| Born | John Harold Smith 21 April 1927 Folkestone, Kent, England |
| Died | 4 May 2002 (aged 74) |
| Nationality | English |
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | London School of Economics |
| Academic work | |
| Discipline | Sociologist |
| Institutions | |
Biography
Born in Folkestone, Smith attended Harvey Grammar School; during World War II, he served with the Royal Observer Corps and as a meteorologist in the Royal Navy. On demobilisation, he read sociology at the London School of Economics, graduating in 1950. He then worked as a researcher at the Acton Society Trust, before returning to the LSE as a lecturer in social sciences and administration. In 1964, he became professor and head of the Sociology and Social Policy Department at the University of Southampton; he retired in 1991.[1] According to The Guardian, Smith "played a leading role in developing the University of Southampton's social sciences faculty and was an authority on the social psychologist Elton Mayo";[1] an industrial sociologist by specialism, he co-authored (with Nancy Seear and Pearl Jephcott) Married Working Women in 1962, as well as a number of other monographs and articles related to his discipline. He was a keen gardener, follower of cricket and fan of Hitchcock's thrillers and western films. He married Jean Horton in 1951 and had with her three children Christopher, Nigel and Rachel, who all survived him.[1]
References
- Robert Pinker (25 May 2002). "Obituary: John Smith". The Guardian'. Retrieved 30 January 2018.