Robert Bierstedt
Encyclopedia
Robert Bierstedt was an American
sociologist
who often wrote about sociological theory, culture, and constitutional law. He was a native of Burlington, Iowa
and graduated in philosophy from the University of Iowa
in 1934. He received a master's degree in philosophy in 1935 and a doctorate in sociology in 1946 from Columbia University
.
He headed the department of sociology at City College of New York
and at New York University
before becoming emeritus professor of sociology at the University of Virginia
. He was a student of the Russian-American sociologist Pitirim Sorokin
.
Bierstedt was a longtime director of the American Civil Liberties Union
, serving as chairman of its academic freedom committee and the church-state committee in the 1960's and 1970's. In addition, he was a former director of the American Council of Learned Societies
, a federation of scholarly groups focused on the humanities, and president of the Eastern Sociological Society
. He also held Fulbright Senior Lectureships at Edinburgh University and the London School of Economics
.
He wrote several books, including The Social Order, Power and Progress: Essays on Sociological Theory and American Sociological Theory and has published many papers and essays in several sociological, anthropological, and literary journals.
He died on September 8 in Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville, Virginia
at 85.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sociologist
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...
who often wrote about sociological theory, culture, and constitutional law. He was a native of Burlington, Iowa
Burlington, Iowa
Burlington is a city in, and the county seat of Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,663 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in the 2000 census. Burlington is the center of a micropolitan area including West Burlington, Iowa and Middletown, Iowa and...
and graduated in philosophy from the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
in 1934. He received a master's degree in philosophy in 1935 and a doctorate in sociology in 1946 from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
.
He headed the department of sociology at City College of New York
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
and at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
before becoming emeritus professor of sociology at the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
. He was a student of the Russian-American sociologist Pitirim Sorokin
Pitirim Sorokin
Pitirim Alexandrovich Sorokin was a Russian-American sociologist born in Komi . Academic and political activist in Russia, he emigrated from Russia to the United States in 1923. He founded the Department of Sociology at Harvard University. He was a vocal opponent of Talcott Parsons' theories...
.
Bierstedt was a longtime director of the American Civil Liberties Union
American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and...
, serving as chairman of its academic freedom committee and the church-state committee in the 1960's and 1970's. In addition, he was a former director of the American Council of Learned Societies
American Council of Learned Societies
The American Council of Learned Societies , founded in 1919, is a private nonprofit federation of seventy scholarly organizations.ACLS is best known as a funder of humanities research through fellowships and grants awards. ACLS Fellowships are designed to permit scholars holding the Ph.D...
, a federation of scholarly groups focused on the humanities, and president of the Eastern Sociological Society
Eastern Sociological Society
Eastern Sociological Society is a non-profit organization with a mission of "promoting excellence in sociological scholarship and instruction." It publishes a peer-reviewed journal and holds a yearly academic conference, the Annual Meeting of Eastern Sociological Society....
. He also held Fulbright Senior Lectureships at Edinburgh University and the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
.
He wrote several books, including The Social Order, Power and Progress: Essays on Sociological Theory and American Sociological Theory and has published many papers and essays in several sociological, anthropological, and literary journals.
He died on September 8 in Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
at 85.