Brian Lang
Encyclopedia
Brian Andrew Lang FRSE is a Scottish social anthropologist who served as deputy chairman of the British Library
and Principal of the University of St Andrews
.
Lang was born on 2 December 1945 in Edinburgh
and educated at the Royal High School of Edinburgh and the University of Edinburgh
where he studied social anthropology
, graduating MA
in 1968, and PhD
in 1974. He lectured in social anthropology for some years at Aarhus University, Denmark
. Returning to the United Kingdom
, he joined the scientific staff of the Social Science Research Council
, where he was latterly Principal Scientific Officer.
In 1979 and 1980 he was head of the Historic Buildings Branch of the Scottish Development Department, and from 1980 to 1987, was Director of the National Heritage Memorial Fund
, based in London
.
After this, he spent four years as Director of Public Affairs for the National Trust
, before his appointment as Chief Executive and Deputy Chairman of the British Library
from 1991 until 2000. He was thus in charge of the delayed and over-budget move of the British Library into its large new building at St Pancras, but escaped censure.
Lang is a trustee of the Heritage Lottery Fund
, a member of the Cultural Commission and was appointed in August 2008 as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
.
as Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of St Andrews
in January 2001. During his first year at St Andrews, Lang was accused of sexual harassment
by a member of the University's administrative staff. Shortly before the start of the resulting employment tribunal
, the university made an out-of-court settlement.
At an unrelated employment tribunal in 2004, Lang drew on his background in social anthropology to compare an academic department at St Andrews to the Ik
tribe of Uganda
, who, he said, were noted for their "dishonesty, lying and cheating". He was ridiculed for this remark when it was pointed out that refuting this view of the Ik, due to Colin Turnbull
, is an essay topic for first-year social anthropology students at St Andrews. http://www.thesinner.net/messageboard-viewthread.php?thread=7328
On 9 March 2006 it was announced that he was to be inducted as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
.
Lang was accused of hypocrisy
by the St Andrews student newspaper The Saint
for promoting the University's environmental policy by asking other members of the university not to use cars, while continuing to use his Jaguar
to make the journey to his office.
Lang, upon retirement as Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of St Andrews, was succeeded by Louise Richardson
. He demited office on the 31st December 2008.
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
and Principal of the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
.
Lang was born on 2 December 1945 in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and educated at the Royal High School of Edinburgh and the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
where he studied social anthropology
Social anthropology
Social Anthropology is one of the four or five branches of anthropology that studies how contemporary human beings behave in social groups. Practitioners of social anthropology investigate, often through long-term, intensive field studies , the social organization of a particular person: customs,...
, graduating MA
Master of Arts (Scotland)
A Master of Arts in Scotland can refer to an undergraduate academic degree in humanities and social sciences awarded by the ancient universities of Scotland – the University of St Andrews, the University of Glasgow, the University of Aberdeen and the University of Edinburgh, while the University of...
in 1968, and PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in 1974. He lectured in social anthropology for some years at Aarhus University, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. Returning to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, he joined the scientific staff of the Social Science Research Council
Social Science Research Council
The Social Science Research Council is a U.S.-based independent nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing research in the social sciences and related disciplines...
, where he was latterly Principal Scientific Officer.
In 1979 and 1980 he was head of the Historic Buildings Branch of the Scottish Development Department, and from 1980 to 1987, was Director of the National Heritage Memorial Fund
National Heritage Memorial Fund
The National Heritage Memorial Fund is a non-departmental public body set up under the National Heritage Act 1980 in memory of people who gave their lives for the United Kingdom....
, based in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
After this, he spent four years as Director of Public Affairs for the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
, before his appointment as Chief Executive and Deputy Chairman of the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
from 1991 until 2000. He was thus in charge of the delayed and over-budget move of the British Library into its large new building at St Pancras, but escaped censure.
Lang is a trustee of the Heritage Lottery Fund
Heritage Lottery Fund
The Heritage Lottery Fund is a fund established in the United Kingdom under the National Lottery etc. Act 1993. The Fund opened for applications in 1994. It uses money raised through the National Lottery to transform and sustain the UK’s heritage...
, a member of the Cultural Commission and was appointed in August 2008 as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
The Royal Scottish National Orchestra is Scotland's national symphony orchestra. Based in Glasgow, the 89-member professional orchestra also regularly performs in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee, and abroad. Formed in 1891 as the Scottish Orchestra, the company has performed full-time since 1950,...
.
At St Andrews
Lang succeeded Struther ArnottStruther Arnott
Struther Arnott CBE FRS FRSE FIBiol FRSC is a Scottish molecular biologist and chemist who specialises in cancer research...
as Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
in January 2001. During his first year at St Andrews, Lang was accused of sexual harassment
Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment, is intimidation, bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. In some contexts or circumstances, sexual harassment is illegal. It includes a range of behavior from seemingly mild transgressions and...
by a member of the University's administrative staff. Shortly before the start of the resulting employment tribunal
Employment tribunal
Employment Tribunals are tribunal non-departmental public bodies in England and Wales and Scotland which have statutory jurisdiction to hear many kinds of disputes between employers and employees. The most common disputes are concerned with unfair dismissal, redundancy payments and employment...
, the university made an out-of-court settlement.
At an unrelated employment tribunal in 2004, Lang drew on his background in social anthropology to compare an academic department at St Andrews to the Ik
Ik
The Ik are an ethnic group numbering about 10,000 people living in the mountains of northeastern Uganda near the border with Kenya, next to the more populous Karamojong and Turkana peoples. The Ik were displaced from their land to create a national park and consequently suffered extreme famine...
tribe of Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
, who, he said, were noted for their "dishonesty, lying and cheating". He was ridiculed for this remark when it was pointed out that refuting this view of the Ik, due to Colin Turnbull
Colin Turnbull
Colin Macmillan Turnbull was a British-American anthropologist who came to public attention with the popular books The Forest People and The Mountain People , and one of the first anthropologists to work in the field of ethnomusicology.-Early life:Turnbull was born in London and...
, is an essay topic for first-year social anthropology students at St Andrews. http://www.thesinner.net/messageboard-viewthread.php?thread=7328
On 9 March 2006 it was announced that he was to be inducted as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh
Royal Society of Edinburgh
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity, operating on a wholly independent and non-party-political basis and providing public benefit throughout Scotland...
.
Lang was accused of hypocrisy
Hypocrisy
Hypocrisy is the state of pretending to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that one does not actually have. Hypocrisy involves the deception of others and is thus a kind of lie....
by the St Andrews student newspaper The Saint
The Saint (UK newspaper)
The Saint is a newspaper written by students at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. It is one of only three such newspapers in the UK to enjoy complete financial and editorial independence, as it is not affiliated with the University or Students' Association in any way...
for promoting the University's environmental policy by asking other members of the university not to use cars, while continuing to use his Jaguar
Jaguar
The jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico...
to make the journey to his office.
Lang, upon retirement as Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of St Andrews, was succeeded by Louise Richardson
Louise Richardson
Professor Louise Richardson FRSE is a political scientist whose specialist field is the study of terrorism...
. He demited office on the 31st December 2008.