Posts Tagged oral history
New Honorary Degrees
Posted by stories of essex sociology in Alumni, Around the world, Former staff, Uncategorized on August 19, 2015
Two former Essex people were awarded Honorary Degrees at this year’s Graduation Ceremonies
Paul Thompson is a world pioneering oral historian and was a founder appointment in the sociology department in September 1964. He has been associated with the department for the past fifty years!
Andrew Mack was an early Sociology/ Government student at Essex. He helped revolutionise the field of peace research, making important contributions to the work of the United Nations and working at leading universities around the world.
He is currently Director of the Human Security Report Project at Simon Fraser University in Canada and a faculty member of the university’s new School for International Studies. Prior to this he directed the Human Security Centre at the University of British Columbia. Before this, Professor Mack was a Visiting Professor at the Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research at Harvard University.
Professor Andrew Mack is an Essex alumnus who helped revolutionise the field of peace research, making important contributions to the work of the United Nations and working at leading universities around the world.School for International Studies. Prior to this he directed the Human Security Centre at the University of British Columbia. Before this, Professor Mack was a Visiting Professor at the Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research at Harvard University.
Hear what they have to say on the University/ Department Facebook Page
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https://www.facebook.com/UoESociology
Podcast Series: Paul Thompson
Posted by stories of essex sociology in Alumni, Books, Former staff, History on February 6, 2013

Paul Thompson was one of the earliest appointments to the sociology department and world leader of the oral history movement.
Creating a University: Podcast Series
In 1964, the doors to the University of Essex opened for the first time and welcomed an initial cohort of just 122 students. Today there are more than 12,000 students from over 130 countries studying at three campuses across the county, and around 70,000 alumni worldwide.
This new podcast series tells the story of Essex from its earliest days – – through interviews with people who were there, including students, staff from all levels and local residents.
The podcasts are based on archive interviews for the Wivenhoe Oral History Project, established by Paul Thompson. Paul was one of the founder members of the Essex Department of Sociology – and a world leader in the field of Oral Hiostory. For many years, the journal Oral History was based in the sociology departmemt. He has made these podcasts in conjunction with the university and they can be found be clicking here: http://www.essex.ac.uk/fifty/podcasts/
One podcast is to be released every month between November 2012 and August 2013
More about the podcasts
Series Editor: Chris Garrington
Series Director: Paul Thompson