Claude S. Fischer
Encyclopedia
Claude Serge Fischer is an American
sociologist and Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley
. He has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in urban sociology, research methods, and American society at UC Berkeley.
, France
on January 9, 1948. He came to the United States
in 1952 at the age of 4. He was raised in Paterson, New Jersey
, but finished high school in Los Angeles
, California
. He graduated from Fairfax High School
.
Fischer graduated with a B.A.
in sociology
from the University of California, Los Angeles
in 1968. After completing his B.A., he went to Harvard University
and completed his M.A.
(1970) and Ph.D.
(1972) in sociology. After completing his Ph.D., he joined the faculty at the University of California, Berkeley
in 1972.
of urban life and on social networks. In 1982, he published the book To Dwell Among Friends: Personal Networks in Town and City and in 1984, he published the book The Urban Experience. He is credited with developing the 'subcultural theory of urbanism'. He worked on the study of social networks, in which he developed techniques for the survey study of networks and studied urban-rural differences in personal networks.
He has also worked on American social history, beginning with a study of the early telephone's place in social life. He published the book America Calling: A Social History of the Telephone to 1940 in 1992. In that book, he presents the first social history of this vital but little-studied technology. He examine how Americans encountered, tested, and ultimately embraced it with enthusiasm. He was also the founding editor of Contexts, the American Sociological Association's magazine of sociology for the general reader. He was also its executive editor through 2004.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sociologist and Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
. He has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in urban sociology, research methods, and American society at UC Berkeley.
Early life and career
Fischer was born in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on January 9, 1948. He came to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1952 at the age of 4. He was raised in Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
, but finished high school in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He graduated from Fairfax High School
Fairfax High School (Los Angeles)
Fairfax High School is a Los Angeles Unified School District high school located in Los Angeles, USA, near the border of West Hollywood in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles...
.
Fischer graduated with a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
from the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
in 1968. After completing his B.A., he went to Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and completed his M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
(1970) and Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
(1972) in sociology. After completing his Ph.D., he joined the faculty at the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
in 1972.
Work
Fischer's early research focused on the social psychologySocial psychology
Social psychology is the scientific study of how people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others. By this definition, scientific refers to the empirical method of investigation. The terms thoughts, feelings, and behaviors include all...
of urban life and on social networks. In 1982, he published the book To Dwell Among Friends: Personal Networks in Town and City and in 1984, he published the book The Urban Experience. He is credited with developing the 'subcultural theory of urbanism'. He worked on the study of social networks, in which he developed techniques for the survey study of networks and studied urban-rural differences in personal networks.
He has also worked on American social history, beginning with a study of the early telephone's place in social life. He published the book America Calling: A Social History of the Telephone to 1940 in 1992. In that book, he presents the first social history of this vital but little-studied technology. He examine how Americans encountered, tested, and ultimately embraced it with enthusiasm. He was also the founding editor of Contexts, the American Sociological Association's magazine of sociology for the general reader. He was also its executive editor through 2004.
Awards and honors
Fischer and his books has received many awards and honors. The following are the awards and honors received by Fischer and his books.- 1986 Distinguished Scholarship Award of the Pacific Sociological Association for To Dwell Among Friends (1982)
- 1995 Dexter Prize, Outstanding Book, from the Society for the History of Technology, for America Calling (1992)
- 1996 Robert and Helen Lynd Award, from the Community and Urban Sociology Section of the American Sociological Association, for distinguished lifetime contribution to urban and community studies
- Inequality by Design: Cracking the Bell Curve MythInequality by Design: Cracking the Bell Curve MythInequality by Design: Cracking the Bell Curve Myth is a book by Claude S. Fischer, Michael Hout, Martín Sánchez Jankowski, Samuel R. Lucas, Ann Swidler, and Kim Voss...
(1996) was awarded “Outstanding Book” on Human Rights, Gustavus Myers Center for the Study of Human Rights in North America in 1998 - Century of Difference (2006) was a co-winner of the 2007 Otis Dudley Duncan Book Award, Population Section, American Sociological Association.