Johnston Birchall (1951–2021) was a leading British academic in the field of co-operative studies and at the time of his death Professor Emeritus at the Social Science Faculty of the University of Stirling.[1][2][3]

Johnston Birchall
Born1951 (1951)
Died2021 (aged 69–70)
Occupations
  • Academic
  • Co-operator
Academic background
Education
ThesisHousing Co-operatives: A Study in the Theory and Practice of User-control (1985)
Academic work
DisciplineCo-operative studies
Institutions

Biography

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Birchall studied theology at the University of Oxford, before working as a community worker and a housing association manager for five years. He then completed a masters degree in sociology at the University of York, followed by a PhD in 1985 on housing co-operatives, also at York.[4][5] His doctoral thesis formed the basis for his 1988 book, Building Communities: The Co-operative Way.[6]

Birchall then worked at South Bank Polytechnic, followed by Brunel University and finally at the University of Stirling until his retirement.[7] From 1995 to 2000 he was editor of the Journal of Co-operative Studies.[5]

Birchall died in 2021 following a long illness.[8] In June 2022 a special commemorative edition of the Journal of Co-operative Studies was published exploring Birchall's legacy and reprinting many of his papers.[9]

Publications

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Further reading

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References

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  1. ^ "Remembering Professor Johnston Birchall". International Cooperative Alliance. 2 June 2021. Archived from the original on 31 July 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  2. ^ "Remembering Johnston Birchall". International Labour Organization. 2 June 2021. Archived from the original on 4 May 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  3. ^ "A tribute to academic and co-op advocate Johnston Birchall". Co-operatives UK. 3 June 2021. Archived from the original on 19 June 2021. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  4. ^ Birchall, Johnston R. (1985). Housing Co-operatives: A Study in the Theory and Practice of User-control (PhD thesis). University of York. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  5. ^ a b Myers, Jan (Summer 2022). "Editorial: Johnston Birchall — An Appreciation". Journal of Co-operative Studies. 55 (1): 3–6.
  6. ^ Birchall, Johnston (1988). Building Communities: The Co-operative Way. Internet Archive. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. pp. xi. ISBN 978-0-7102-1143-9.
  7. ^ Mayo, Ed (2 June 2021). "'The most insightful co-op researcher of our day': Ed Mayo remembers Johnston Birchall". Co-op News. Archived from the original on 18 April 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  8. ^ Hadfield, Miles (2 June 2021). "Obituary: Johnston Birchall, a scholar and champion for the co-op movement". Co-op News. Manchester. Archived from the original on 18 April 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  9. ^ "Special issue 2022 - Tribute to Johnston Birchall". UK Society for Co-operative Studies. 19 March 2022. Archived from the original on 22 March 2022. Retrieved 17 April 2022.