Raymond Edward Pahl (17 July 1935 – 3 June 2011) was a British sociologist, best known for his studies of social interaction, polarisation, work and friendship in suburban and post-industrial communities.

Biography

He was born in London, and attended St Albans School before studying at St Catharine's College, Cambridge, and then the London School of Economics. Claire Wallace, Obituary, The Guardian, 26 July 2011
/ref> His doctoral thesis was completed at the London School of Economics, entitled "Urban influences on rural areas within the London metropolitan region: case studies of three Hertfordshire parishes". It studied class, community and social cohesion in Hertfordshire commuter villages, and was later published as ''Urbs in Rure''. He was appointed as lecturer at the

University of Kent The University of Kent (formerly the University of Kent at Canterbury, abbreviated as UKC) is a Collegiate university, collegiate public university, public research university based in Kent, United Kingdom. The university was granted its roya ...

Canterbury Canterbury (, ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, in the county of Kent, England; it was a county borough until 1974. It lies on the River Stour, Kent, River Stour. The city has a mild oceanic climat ...

in 1965, and to a personal chair in 1972. Economic and Social Data Service: Ray Pahl
/ref> In the late 1970s, his exploratory study of the informal economy of the Isle of Sheppey developed into a major research project, which came to be known as the Sheppey Project, and as a result of which he published ''Divisions of Labour'' (1984). He also contributed in the 1980s to the

Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the Primus inter pares, ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the bishop of the diocese of Canterbury. The first archbishop ...

's report '' Faith in the City''. Sarah Cunnane, Obituary, Times Higher Education Supplement, 22 June 2011
/ref> He became president of Research Committee 21 of the International Sociological Association, and helped establish the Society and Politics Programme at the Central European University in

Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...

, continuing to work closely with sociologists in eastern Europe throughout the rest of his career. In the late 1980s he helped set up the British Household Panel Study at the

University of Essex The University of Essex is a public university, public research university in Essex, England. Established by royal charter in 1965, it is one of the original plate glass university, plate glass universities. The university comprises three camp ...

, which gathers information from households across the UK for social and economic research. He transferred to the Institute of Social and Economic Research at Essex a few years later, being given the title of visiting research professor in sociology in 1999. In 2008, he was elected a fellow of the British Academy.The Ray Pahl Collection
/ref> He died of cancer in 2011, aged 75.

Bibliography

* ''Urbs in Rure'' (1965) * ''Whose City?'' (1970) * ''Patterns of Urban Life'' (1970) * ''Managers and their Wives'' (1971) * ''Divisions of Labour'' (1984) * ''After Success: Fin de Siècle Anxiety and Identity'' (1995) * ''On Friendship'' (2000) * ''Rethinking Friendship: Hidden Solidarities Today'' (2006, with Liz Spencer)

References

External links

Ray Pahl papers: a handlist
Keele University
Ray Pahl's research publications
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pahl, Ray 1935 births 2011 deaths Academics of the University of Kent Alumni of the London School of Economics Alumni of St Catharine's College, Cambridge British sociologists Fellows of the British Academy People educated at St Albans School, Hertfordshire Urban sociologists