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21 April 2011: Lifetime achievement awarded to Professor David Lockwood former Head of Department for Sociology
Professor David Lockwood has been awarded one of the first ever lifetime achievement awards from the British Sociological Association (BSA) for his pioneering work in sociology.
The award recognises Professor Lockwood’s huge contribution to the study of sociology in the United Kingdom, which spans more than five decades.
Professor Lockwood’s association with the University of Essex began in the 1960s when he was appointed Chair of Sociology. During his early years at Essex he was Head of Department and then Dean, and immediately before his retirement held the position of Pro Vice Chancellor (Academic) for three years until 1992. Since his retirement he has continued to be research active and influential.
The lifetime achievement award, which was inaugurated this year to mark the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the BSA, honours outstanding achievements in British sociology during a career. Professor Lockwood is one of the first recipients of the award.
Professor Lockwood’s research is grounded in an analysis of the tensions between the claims of citizenship and the power of the market. He has devoted his career to wrestling with the big questions in sociology - How is society possible? What is the basis of social order? What are the mechanisms of social change? – and has provided us with novel and original ways of looking at these issues and their consequences for social cohesion.
Eamonn Carrabine, Head of the Department of Sociology, said: “David Lockwood is one of the foremost sociologists of his generation and his scholarship has made a lasting contribution to the discipline. Indeed, his path-breaking work on affluence, class structure and social stratification continues to shape the field, while his overall commitment to empirical and theoretical rigour remains inspirational. Throughout his career he has maintained the highest levels of scholarship and it is entirely fitting that the BSA should recognise his achievements in this way. We are delighted for him, immensely proud that he has received this award and grateful for his distinguished service.”