Edward Shils

Edward Shils (1 July 1911 ~ 23 January 1995) was a Distinguished Service Professor in the Committee on Social Thought and in Sociology at the University of Chicago and one of the world's most influential sociologists. He was known for his research on the role of intellectuals and their relations to power and public policy. His work was honoured in 1983 when he was awarded the Balzan Prize. In "1979", he was selected by the National Council on the Humanities to give the Jefferson Lecture, the highest US award given in the humanities.

His knowledge of the literatures of numerous cultures and fields was a source of wonderment to colleagues. He taught sociology, social philosophy, English literature, history of Chinese science and many other subjects.

A specialist in the works of Max Weber, he also translated the works of sociologist Karl Mannheim into English. He served with the British Army and the United States Office of Strategic Services during World War II. Upon his returning to Chicago, he was appointed Associate Professor in 1947, and Professor in 1950. In 1971, he was named Distinguished Service Professor.

For many years, Shils held joint appointments at Chicago and other universities. He was: reader in sociology at the London School of Economics from 1946 to 1950; a fellow of King's College, Cambridge, from 1961 to 1970; a fellow of Peterhouse, Cambridge, from 1970 to 1978; and an honorary professor in social anthropology at the University of London from 1971 to 1977. He was named an honorary fellow at the London School of Economics in 1972 and an honorary fellow at Peterhouse in 1979. He was also a professor at the University of Leiden from 1976 to 1977.

He attempted to bridge the research traditions of German and American sociology. At Chicago, he attracted leading European scholars to teach at the University, including Arnaldo Momigliano, Raymond Aron and the British sinologist Michael Loewe, among others.

Professor Shils was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Philosophical Society. He is "survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Adam and Carrie Shils of Chicago; a grandson, Sam Shils; and a nephew, Edward B. Shils, professor emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania" [http://chronicle.uchicago.edu/950330/shils.shtml Service for Edward Shils, "Chicago Chronicle", 30 March 1995] A large photo of Shils hangs in the Shils Reading Room in the Social Science Research Building at the University of Chicago.

Notes & References

"My Friend Edward", a personal reminiscence by Joseph Epstein

Publications

*"Toward a General Theory of Action" (with Talcott Parsons, 1952)
*"The Intellectual Between Tradition and Modernity: The Indian Situation" (1961)
*"Theories of Society: Foundations of Modern Sociological Theory, Two Volumes in One," with Jesse R. Pitts, Talcott Parsons (Editor), & Kaspar D. Naegele, New York: The Free Press (1961)
*"The Calling of Sociology, and Other Essays on the Pursuit of Learning" (1980)
*"Tradition" (1981)
*"On the Constitution of Society" (1982)
*"The Academic Ethic" (1984).
* "Portraits: A Gallery of Intellectuals." Edited by Joseph Epstein, 1997

External links

* [http://chronicle.uchicago.edu/950202/shils.shtml Shils Obituary at "Chicago Chronicle", 1995]
* [http://newcriterion.com:81/archive/14/oct95/shils.htm In Memoriam by Hugh Trevor-Roper, The New Criterion]
* [http://magazine.uchicago.edu/9706/9706Editors.html Editor's Notes re Shils, University of Chicago Magazine, June 1997]