An influential scholar who shaped several fields of sociology will be remembered at a special event to mark his work which will also include the launch of his last book.
John Urry, a Distinguished Professor at Lancaster University, died suddenly in March this year.
His book 'What is the Future' (2016 Polity) demonstrates that futures are often contested, especially with regard to unborn generations that will follow.
Through his analysis of social institutions, practices and lives, Professor Urry illustrates fundamental values for examining potential futures and issues as to who owns the future.
All are welcome to gather on Thursday 30 June at 3pm at Lancaster University in Design Studio 1 in the LICA Building to celebrate his life, his book, his academic career, and to hear about his immense intellectual legacy.
The session will be presented by Nick Dunn, Bob Jessop, Andrew Sayer, Scott Lash, Monika Buscher, Mimi Sheller, Sylvia Walby and others.
John embodied the tradition of world class Sociology that he was central to co-creating at Lancaster University, where he worked for 44 years.
John’s purpose was the pursuit of truth to make the world a better place, to be achieved through the practice of collegiality, no deference, argument with respect, and collaboration around the world.
A former Head of the Sociology Department, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, and University Dean of Research, Professor Urry had a global intellectual presence and international recognition as a public intellectual.
From 2003 to 2015 he was Director of the Centre for Mobilities Research, co-founder of Mobilities journal, and helped to develop the ‘new mobilities paradigm’ in social science research.
Many of these interests converged in his role as Founding Co-Director of the Institute for Social Futures at Lancaster.
All welcome.