Author: LSE Internal Communications

The Department of Economic History is deeply saddened by the death of Professor Nick Crafts, a former Convenor of the Department, and a great friend and colleague. He was generous with his time, and supportive of students and young scholars and, above all, very funny.

Nick was, quite literally, a giant of his field and an inspiration to many. His work with Knick Harley, reinterpreting the British Industrial Revolution remains influential and much discussed.

Nick joined the Department of Economic History at LSE in 1995 and stayed for 10 years before returning to Warwick where he was the founding Director of CAGE.

It is with deep sadness that we are sharing the news that our Language Centre colleague Doris Hermann-Ostrowski passed away unexpectedly on Friday 14 July this year from heart failure at the age of 71.

Doris joined the LSE Language Centre in 2007 and was a highly valued member of the German teaching team. She will be remembered as a very competent and meticulous professional with a passion for teaching who cared deeply about her students. She will be missed by staff and students alike.

Her funeral and cremation took place on 25 August, with family and friends in attendance.

There is a tribute page at https://rodica-dorishermann-ostrowski.muchloved.com/.

Professor Robert Pinker

Robert Pinker, who has died aged nearly 90, grew up near Tufnell Park and attended Holloway County School. He did his National Service in the Royal Ulster Rifles. He began his academic career at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), receiving a certificate in Social Science and Administration (1959).

Bob, with Peter Townsend, conducted 80% of the research interviews for the Townsend’s influential book, The Last Refuge (1962).

He contributed to the research for Brian Abel Smith’s book ‘The Hospitals’ (1964) and produced a separate volume, ‘English Hospital Statistics 1861-1938’ for which he was awarded an MSc (1965).

His academic career took him from Head of Sociology at Goldsmiths College (1964-1972), with a strong emphasis on social policy, to a Chair in the Social Policy Department at LSE. He was also Pro-Director of LSE (1985-88) and Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Social Sciences at the University of London 1989-1990. He was Lewisham Professor of Social Administration, Goldsmiths and Bedford College (1972-1974), Professor of Social Studies, Chelsea College, University of London (1974-1978), Professor of Social Work Studies, LSE (1978-1993), including Departmental Convenor (1982-1985),  and Pro-Vice Chancellor for Social Sciences and Continuing Education, University of London ((1989-1990), and Professor of Social Administration, LSE (1993-1996).

Important Publications include: ‘Social Theory and Social Policy’ 1971; ‘The Welfare State: a comparative perspective’ 1973 ; the ‘Idea of Welfare’ 1979; ‘Social Work in an Enterprise Society’ 1990; and ‘Privacy and Personality Rights: commercial Exploitation and Protection’ (with Robert Deacon and Nigel Lipton) 2010.

Professor  Pinker also editor of series of seven books by Heinemann Studies in Social Policy and Welfare. In his book ‘The Idea of Welfare’ Pinker brought together a wide range of comparative views, based upon an analysis of Social Policy in Britain, Russia and America. His view can be summarised thus, (p42):

“In trying to make sense and create order out of an increasingly complex process of social change men and women learn to systematize and extend their conceptual universes. Social Polices are attempts to give, through the force of statutes and administrative practice, a relative continuity and permanence to what might otherwise be only transient extensions of human imagination and empathy.”

He received various honours throughout his life; an elected Fellow of the Society of Editors in 2004, CBE in 2005, Hon. LLD of the University of Ulster (2016) and in 2015 the Social Policy Society awarded him their Special Recognition Award for his “consistent sustained and long-standing contribution to the field of Social Policy through research or teaching and learning.”

His interests extended beyond his academic work, and he was a successful participant in public life, first as a member of the Advertising Standards Authority, then as Privacy Commissioner, and later, Chair of the Press Complaints Commission (PCC)

Days before his death he received the 2020 Astor Award for Press Freedom from the Commonwealth Press Union (CPU). Lord Black of Brentwood, Chair of the CPU described him as, “An indomitable champion of free speech, free press and of self-regulation. His work not only just strengthened press freedom but – as a result – strengthened the Commonwealth, too.”

After retiring from the PCC in 2004, he served for two years as Chair of the Bosnia-Herzegovina Press Council, the first such body in the Balkans, and had continued helping to establish press councils in overseas countries, including Sri Lanka and South Sudan.

He was approachable to all and a man of many interests outside academic and public life. He was a great conversationalist, a good listener and extremely kind and supportive of many who turned to him for advice. In recent days several students have written to me extolling Bob’s virtues as a teacher and advisor in both academic and pastoral matters.

He managed the work life balance without ever referring to that concept. Hs wife Jen, to whom he was devoted, died 25 years ago after 25 years of marriage. They had two daughters, Cathy and Lucy, as well as grandchildren and great grandchildren. They were the centre of his life and he filled his house in Blackheath with books, conversation, and laughter.

He followed the fortunes of Chelsea FC and had an encyclopaedic knowledge of professional boxing. He also loved old motor cars and for many years the family car was a Daimler.

He often reminisced about his upbringing in north London and always enjoyed traditional, family home cooking. He considered a good, shop-bought, fish and chip supper a special treat.

A special man who will be much missed.

John Carrier

Sergio was a student on the Executive MSc International Strategy and Diplomacy Programme, 2018/19.

Originally from Peru, Sergio lived in London for over 17 years. He was Economist and Course Director for Pre-Master’s Business Programmes at Ulster University, London Campus. His professional work experience was mainly in multinational American corporations, both as an entrepreneur and in academia. He also conducted research on various ways to tackle poverty, inequality and conflict. His work combined learning from various disciplines including anthropology, religion, politics, business, finance, public policy and international relations.

 

The  Director of the programme – Emeritus Professor Michael Cox – added:

“Sergio was an active and valued student. He had great passion for the subject-matter of international strategy and diplomacy, was a lively contributor to class debates, and delivered several memorable and always well-prepared presentations”.

Sadly though, on 23 March 2019, he tragically lost his battle with leukaemia. He will be a much-missed colleague and friend. His peers on the Executive MSc Programme have made and encourage donations in Sergio’s memory to Leukaemia.org.uk.

Our thoughts and hearts go out to Sergio’s wife, Susan, and their two sons.

It is very sad to hear about the passing of Peter Dawson, a lecturer in the Department of Government from 1964 to 1994. His teaching focused in particular in the area of Public Administration with particular emphasis on development administration.

I was his tutee (as it was then called) in my first year as an undergraduate student. This was also his final year in the Department. Peter has shaped my outlook on studying at LSE ever since the first meeting in  his office in Lincoln Chambers. In those days, initial appointments were made by postcard to be found in the departmental pigeon holes (those tutees who didn’t make it past the Three Tuns to check their mail received a letter from Peter to their parental home).

I approached the first meeting with considerable trepidation: confused by Alan Beattie’s discussions about the powers of the Prime Minister and in awe of Janet Coleman’s Plato. I was soon put in my place. Pointing out that he was wearing an imaginary dog collar, Peter told me that being at LSE was an honour not to be thrown away by engaging with silly pursuits such as sports. To ensure I kept up my library attendance record, I was given the task to write an essay on ‘Does the UK need a written constitution?’ This essay – delivered in handwriting a few weeks later – was dissected, if not taken apart, word by word; although I remained unsure how strong the disapproval of my rallying call for a written constitution actually was. I was then let off writing further essays – largely because of some decent grade awarded by Matt Matravers on an essay on Cicero. I will also not forget his handwritten note expressing disappointment at my first year exam grades.

If these encounters put me in the right place, then Peter also offered me some guidance later on. A few years into his retirement, we met on the connecting bridge between East and Old Building. I had just started my PhD and his comment was that my next few years would be ‘like being a monk, just without the fun’.

We last talked during George Jones’ memorial service last year and it was a delight to meet after many years. My deepest condolences to his wife Jane and his family.

Professor Martin Lodge, Department of Government

 

Peter Dawson was a former UK colonial administrator and he had a close knowledge of the practicalities of government and public service delivery in developing countries, and a keen interest in their contemporary modernization processes. He was invariably a wonderfully cheerful and encouraging colleague in meetings, seminars and social events, with a can-do approach to solving problems. He was zealous on behalf of student care and maintaining traditional academic standards, and resilient in the face of the many adverse (‘neo-liberal’) changes in academic life since the 1980s. An active member of the department even after his retirement, he will be much missed by colleagues who knew him, and by his many former students.

Professor Patrick Dunleavy, Department of Government

It is with great sadness that LSE announces the death of Vic Finnigan. Vic retired from LSE in 2014 as Head Porter after 25 years of service.

Two of Vic’s collegues share their memories of Vic. If you would like to join them, please add a comment to the post.

 

 

At Vic’s Leaving Do, I said to those assembled:

“I think you would all agree Vic is one of those people who you simply won’t forget. I would describe him as a rough diamond and one cheeky bleeder. You and your lads do a tough job in all weathers, with good humour and are vital to the smooth functioning of the School and it is because of this, you generate genuine respect and affection.”

And yes mate (that’s how he referred to men and woman alike!) you will indeed be fondly remembered by all of us who had the pleasure of knowing you.

Julian Robinson, Director of Estates Division

 

Having spent 25 years at LSE, Vic was part of the furniture, he knew everything and everyone. Like me, I’m sure there are many of you that enjoyed listening to his stories; and boy did he know how to tell one! He was the go-to man to get stuff done and would never pass you by without stopping and saying hello (usually with a fag hanging out of his mouth!)

Mate! you will be missed, you were one of a kind. There is only one way to describe Vic – A legend!

Francesca Ruscoe, Estates Division

It is with great sadness that we announce Ragnar Norberg, Emeritus Professor of Statistics at LSE, passed away on the 18 December 2017. Professor Norberg is one of the most influential academics working on both insurance and financial mathematics.

Ragnar started his long career at the University of Oslo and then at the Laboratory of Actuarial Mathematics at the University of Copenhagen. He joined LSE as a professor in the Department of Statistics in the spring of 2000 and stayed with us until his retirement in 2010. He finished his career as Chercheur (Research Officer) at Institut de Science Financi`ere et d’Assurances (ISFA) in Lyon, probably the biggest department of its kind in Europe.

He was a visitor at many prestigious institutions around the world. Moscow State University in the old Soviet Union (Ragnar spoke many languages including Russian), ETH Zurich, the University of Manheim,  The University of Stanford and the University of Melbourne. He also engaged in regulatory work serving as an advisor for the Norwegian Insurance Council. Ragnar regarded a paper that he produced for them as the best in his career and maintained that he learned  more in a year there than he learned during his whole academic career. He was a member of Actuarial Socities in Norway, Denmark, Italy and the UK.

During his time at LSE, he contributed enormously to the rapid expansion of the Department of Statistics by establishing the Risk and Stochastics group (now called the Probability in Finance and Insurance group and is the largest in the department) and starting a new MSc programme spanning the interface between Actuarial and Financial Mathematics.

He enjoyed teaching and he had his own style which was based on challenging the students. He turned his office hours into mini-seminars and we fondly remember the long queues of students waiting to pick his brains outside his room. Ragnar’s contribution was not just the large number of papers and books he wrote and edited but also a unique way of thinking that influenced  colleagues and students. This extract is from the Festschrift in a forthcoming book and is in Ragnar’s own words and demonstrates this thinking:

Philosophy and bird watch in finance. “In 2012 ISFA organized a conference on management of financial risk. There was an invited talk on the Black Swan, a lot of talks on how to improve market models, but no talks on how to improve the market. The organizers had been incautious enough to invite my participation in a round table discussion at the end of the conference. I said what I thought and ended with an allegory: “Maybe there are black birds out there that we haven’t seen, but to sit wool-gathering over their possible existence is self-delusion. Instead we should analyze and act upon what we have seen. There are black birds that we know all too well (crows, ravens and vultures feeding on defenceless small animals and on carcasses), and action is needed to cull them. But, alas, there are white birds (geese infamous for their credulity), and there and black and white birds (ostriches burying their heads in the sand), and they do little to improve the quality of bird life. The philosophers have only etc.” By registered sound level and duration of the applause, my 5 minutes intervention was the best received contribution to the conference. Why? I do not think it was just because I presented in a kind of French (the do-as-the-Romans trick), which I did without any ulterior motive (it was a no nonsense Conference Francophone). What I do think is that the audience didn’t think that mathematical and philosophical thinking alone can bring cosmos to the chaos of the deregulated financial markets.”

Professor Angelos Dassios, Department of Statistics