John Urry

Who is John Urry?

John Urry is a British sociologist, Professor at Lancaster University. He is noted for work in the fields of the sociology of tourism and mobility.

He has written books on many other aspects of modern society including the transition away from 'organised capitalism', the sociology of nature and environmentalism, and social theory in general.

Urry is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Founding Academician of the UK Academy of Learned Societies for the Social Sciences and a Visiting Professor at both Bristol and Roskilde Geography Departments.

Born in London and educated at the Haberdashers' Aske's Boys School, Urry gained his first degrees from Christ's College, Cambridge in 1967, a ‘double first' B.A. and M.A. in Economics, before going on to gain his Ph.D. in Sociology from the same institution in 1972. He arrived at Lancaster University Sociology department as a lecturer in 1970, becoming head of department in 1983 and a professor in 1985.