Richard Sennett

Richard Sennett is one of the most inventive sociologist-thinkers of our time. Born in Chicago in 1943, he abandoned his music studies in the early 1960s to pursue a career in sociology. He studied at the University of Chicago and Harvard, and became one of the co-founders of the New York Institute for the Humanities at New York University. For many years, he divided his time between New York University and the London School of Economics, and has also taught for extended periods at MIT and Cambridge. His research, a blend of ethnography, history, and sociology, follows the pragmatist tradition of William James and John Dewey, focusing on areas such as the modern city and urban life, the world of work, public and private space, and the formation of individual identity. He has received numerous accolades and awards from prestigious scientific institutions. Many of his books have been translated into multiple languages. Sennett, who is married to Saskia Sassen, continues to play chamber music and describes himself as an avid cook.