Neil Guppy

Neil Guppy (born December 1, 1949) is a professor and sociologist at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. He is the department head of sociology, and teaches courses in sociology. He has also written several works to do with social inequality (viewable here) and education.^[1]

Early life

Neil Guppy was born in North Bay, Ontario on December 1, 1949. His father worked for Ontario Hydro, which meant frequent moving for Guppy as a child. Niagara Falls, St. Lawrence Seaway, Otter Rapids, Ontario are but a few of the places he lived whilst growing up.

As a boy, Guppy's first interest was sports. His interest in athletics was motivated by his parents enthusiasm for outdoor activities--"skiing, hiking, and canoe tripping in particular."^[2] As a young man, he was active in sports at school. This sparked his interest in studying physical education at university after graduating grade school. One of his summer jobs was a counselor at the well known canoe tripping camp, Camp Wangoma, near McArthur's Mills, Ontario which used to be run by the Toronto YMCA.

Post-secondary Education

According to an interview with Guppy on January 30, 2009, Guppy first became interested in sociology when he was a physical education student at Queens University. His interest was sparked by social issues that were occurring in the sporting world around him. He began to question why inequality existed in sports, as well as how non-sporting related matters came to influence large scale sporting events like the Olympics.^[2]

At Queens, Guppy graduated in 1972 with a B.A. in sociology and a B.P.H.E in physical education. He continued his studies at the University of Waterloo(UW) where he gained his masters of science in human kinetics in 1974. From there, Guppy continued to study at UW to attain his Ph.D. in sociology in 1981.^[2]

Career

Throughout his career as a sociologist and professor, Guppy has held various levels of positions at the University of British Columbia(UBC). Guppy worked and has continued to work at various levels of the UBC faculty since 1979.^[2]

Teaching Positions

Guppy started his career as an Instructor II in sociology at UBC from 1979 to 1981. After receiving his Ph.D at the University of Waterloo, Guppy became an assistant professor of sociology from 1981 to 1987. In 1987 he became an associate professor up until 1993, when he become a full professor. Three years later Guppy was appointed Associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts at UBC. He fulfilled this role until 1999, when he became the Associate Vice President of Academic Programs at UBC up until 2004. In 2006, Guppy became the Head of the Department of Sociology and continues that role today.^[2]

Published and Written Works

Guppy has written and collaborated on various articles, books, and journals throughout his research and teaching career. His work ranges from issues dealing with education in Canada to analyses of social inequality. Below is a few of the works he has collaborated on:

1. Education in Canada: Recent Trends and Future Challenges, Ottawa: Statistics Canada by Guppy, Neil and Scott Davies^[3]

2. The Schooled Society: An Introduction to the Sociology of Education Toronto, by Guppy, Neil and Davies, Scott

3. Successful Surveys: Research Methods and Practice (4th Edition) by Guppy, Neil and George Gray.

Some of Guppy's peer-reviewed works can also be viewed online:

"Globalization and Educational Reforms in Anglo-American Democracies" by Scott Davies and Neil Guppy. Visit

Current

Guppy continues to teach sociology at the University of British Columbia, and is an active in the administration of the Coordinated Arts Program.

References and notes

1. ^ "Neil Guppy." Department of Sociology. 20 January 2009. UBC. 30 January 2009
2. ^ ^{a b c d e} Guppy, Neil. E-mail interview. 30 January 2009.
3. ^ Guppy, Neil and Scott Davies Education in Canada: Recent Trends and Future Challenges, Ottawa: Statistics Canada, pp. xxxix+203, also published in French, L'Education Au Canada: Tendances Recentes et Defis a Relever. Ottawa: Statistics Canada; xlii+226pp, 1998.

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Name	Guppy, Neil
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Date of birth	December 1, 1949
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