Edward Shils
Edward Shils was a prominent American sociologist born on July 1, 1910, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His early interest in sociology was sparked by the writings of Max Weber, which he continued to study throughout his career. Shils obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and later worked at the University of Chicago, where he became a significant figure in the fields of sociology and social thought. He also taught at esteemed institutions such as the London School of Economics and Cambridge University.
Shils was particularly noted for his exploration of the role of intellectuals in society and their relationship with power and public policy. His influential works included "Torment of Secrecy," which addressed the impact of McCarthyism on American society. An erudite scholar, Shils contributed to various academic fields and founded the journal Minerva, which focused on science and scholarship. He received numerous accolades throughout his career, including the Balzan Prize in 1983, and he delivered the prestigious Jefferson Lecture in 1979. Edward Shils passed away on January 23, 1995, leaving a lasting impact on sociology and intellectual discourse.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Edward Shils
Sociologist
- Born: July 1, 1910
- Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Died: January 23, 1995
Biography
Sociologist Edward Shils was born on July 1, 1910, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He first became interested in sociology when, as a high school student in Philadelphia, he was introduced to the writings of German sociologist Max Weber. He continued to study Weber’s works throughout his life. He attended the University of Pennsylvania and graduated with a B.A. in 1931. In 1934, he began working as a research assistant at the University of Chicago, where he became an instructor in 1938. He earned an M.A. from Cambridge University in 1961.
Following World War II, during which he served in the British army and the U.S. Office of Strategic Services, Shils became an associate professor at the University of Chicago in 1947 and a professor in 1950. As a distinguished service professor in the committee on social thought and sociology, a position he assumed at the University of Chicago in 1971, Shils studied the role of intellectuals in society and their association with power and public policy. He also taught at a number of other universities over the years, including the London School of Economics; King’s College, Cambridge; Peterhouse College, Cambridge; the University of London; and the University of Leiden. He was named an honorary fellow at the London School of Economics and at Peterhouse in 1972 and 1979, respectively.
In his work, Shils attempted to draw connections between diverse ways of looking at society, and he constantly challenged conventional modes of thinking. For example, his book, Torment of Secrecy: The Background and Consequences of American Security Policies(1956), dealt with the problems of McCarthyism.
Shils was known for his wide-ranging erudition. He taught courses on diverse subjects, including sociology, social philosophy, English literature, and the history of Chinese science. Shils was the founder and editor of the journal Minerva, which focused on the problems of science and scholarship, and he was cofounder of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. He was a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Philosophical Society. In 1979, the National Council on the Humanities selected him to present the Jefferson Lecture, the highest national award in the humanities. He was awarded the Balzan Prize in 1983 by the Balzan Foundation in Milan for his work in contemporary sociology. Shils died on January 23, 1995.