I was born in what was then Belgian Congo, in the Ituri Forest, where my parents were missionaries. [Ioan is Welsh for John, so I am basically a Celtic white male, and would have been designated a pieds noir if I was born in French Algeria]. I went to school there (in my mother's primary school), in Wales, Scotland, and completed my higher education at the University of London and the University of Essex. I was a journalist for a period and completed National Service (the draft) for the British army where I spent a fruitful two years with the Army Educational Corps as inspector of schools, current affairs lecturer and librarian at the Royal Military School of Music. I marched to Aldermaston with the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, was Chair of the London New Left Club, and then taught at Cambridge University with the Extra-Mural (Adult Education) department, though mainly based in Norwich. I then joined the Sociology department at the University of Essex (from 1965-70), then in Guyana for six months, then at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario until 1972 when I came to York University. I have been a visitor (for nine months) to the London School of Economics, and have lectured in different parts of the world - New Zealand, Australia, California, Russia, Ireland, India, New York, Chicago, Poland, various places in Canada. My parents and siblings migrated to New Zealand. I have been married twice. The first time unhappily (but Virginia did marry an inmate of a penitentiary, hence my over-theorized Writers in Prison), the second time with gorgeous symmetry with Diane, my Jewish partner and co-investigator, lover and compadre with whom over the past 25 years I have debated, researched, explored everything from the Holocaust to feminism to multi-national corporations to multiculturalism to being parents to our own children, ourselves and many others. I have five children through both marriages, displaying all the interests and competencies that five children can derive from their own sense of living in places as distinct as the nether reaches of California, Oregon, England, and Southern Ontario.
My writing (see the Curriculum Vitae and the two other web-sites) displays at least part of my commitment to come to terms with all this experience as an individual and as an author/teacher. The issue remains, however. In being ourselves through the counter-influence of the media, the reading, the religious texts, where do we stand without subjecting ourselves to the spectre of tribalistic certitude? Or a nonsensical universal being? Or a nihilistic abdication of any value? Or, ultimately, the notion that only my story matters. My story (for that is what it is) invites your commentary. As the bombs fall, the multinationals collude in the destruction of public space (which includes the ozone layer), and the refugees flee, may we pause for a moment and contemplate the interstitial meaning of life?
DAVID IOAN DAVIES
e-mail: idavies@yorku.ca York University Phone: 416-736-5148, ext. 33192
DEGREES
University of London B.Sc. 1961 Economics/Sociology University of Essex Ph.D. 1970 Social History and Comparative Politics
PRESENT POSITION
Professor Department of Sociology, Social & Political Thought, Social Science. York University, 1977- present
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
1998 Visiting Professor, Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan
1991 Visiting Professor, Soviet Academy of Social Sciences
1977-1978 Academic Visitor, London School of Economics and Political Science
1972-1977 Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, York University
1970-1972 Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Queen's University
1970 Reader (Visiting, Department of Social Science, University of Guyana
1965-1970 Senior Lecturer, Department of Sociology, University of Essex
1962-1965 Staff Tutor, Board of Extra-Mural Studies, University of Cambridge
PUBLICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS
"Japan Today: All Made Up," Literary Review of Canada, Vol7, No 5 (1999): 10 - 13
"Theory and Creativity in English Canada: Magazines, the State and Cultural
Movement", Journal of Canadian Studies,
Vol. 30, No. 1, 1995: pp. 5-10.
"Cultural Theory in Britain: Narrative and Episteme," Theory, Culture & Society,
(1993), Vol 10, # 3: 115-154.
"British Cultural Marxism," International J. of Politics, Culture & Society,
Vol 4, No 3, 1991:323-344.
"'A Voiceless Song' and 'the Ice Cream Man'": International J. of Politics,
Culture & Society. Vol 3, No 4, 1990: 373-385.
"The Return of Virtue: Orwell and the political dilemmas of Central European
Intellectuals," International Journal of Politics, Culture and Society.
Vol III, No 1 (1989), 107-128.
"Lenny Bruce: Hyperrealism and the death of Jewish Tragic Humor",
Social Text, Spring l989, 82-114.
"Video as Theatre," Canadian Theatre Review, 60, Fall 1989, 43-45.
"The Sociology of Cultural Policy", Canadian J. of Sociology, Autumn, 1983.
"Malcolm's Map", Canadian Literary Review, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1982, pp. 59-63.
"The Cultural Anthropology of Advanced Industrial Society", Autumn, 1981
Canadian Journal of Political and Social Theory, Vol. v Nos. 1 & 2 pp 208-215.
"Escapes from the Prison-House of Culture", Canadian Journal of
Political and Social Theory, Autumn 1981 vol. v, Nos. 1 & 2 pp. 147-167.
"Approaching Walter Benjamin", Canadian Journal of Political and
Social Theory, Winter 1980, vol. iv, No. 1, pp. 59-74.
"The Management of Knowledge", Sociology, January 1970, pp. 2-22. Reprinted and
revised in Michael F.D. Young (ed.) Knowledge and Control, London and New York:
Collier-Macmillan,
l971 pp. 267-288 and in Earl J. Hopper (ed.) Readings in the Theory of
Educational Systems, London: Hutchinson, 1971 pp. 111-138.
"Introducing Comparative Sociology" British Journal of Sociology,
Vol. xviii, No. 4, 1967, pp. 443-450.
"The Labour Commonwealth" New Left Review, December 1963, pp 75-94 pp. 59-63.
"British Imperialism, the Commonwealth and the Common Market",
Presence Africaine, 3rd Quarter, 1962.
"Congo and the Press", New Left Review, November-December, 1960, pp. 50-53.
In addition to the above, I have also written a large number of reviews
and journalistic articles for academic journals,
cultural magazines and daily and weekly newspapers. From
1967 to the present these have included:
border/lines, British Journal of Sociology, Canadian Forum, Canadian
Journal of Political Science,Clarion, Compass, Education, the Globe and Mail,
International Affairs, International Socialism,
Journal of Asian and African Studies, Jornal do Brasil,
Manchester Guardian, New Left Review, New Society,
New Statesman, Peace News, Shades, Socialist Review,
Time and Tide, Times Higher Education Supplement, Times Literary
Supplement, Toronto Star, Tribune, Venture.
1985 Control Data Canada 1982 Ernst and Whinney 1982 Cardinal Communications 1980 Government of Saskatchewan 1968-9 U.K. Cabinet Office 1968-9 Walter Thompson, London 1965-8 U.K. Dept. of Education and Science.
CONFERENCES ORGANIZED
1986: The Challenge of Central Europe - 30 Years After The Hungarian Revolution 1983: Alternative Press in Canada. York University, Norman Bethune College 1977: Socialism and Democracy 1976: Spain: 40 Years After the Civil War. York University, Norman Bethune College 1974: One Day Conference on Chile 1973: China 25 Years After the Revolution. York University, Norman Bethune College
1998 Ontario-Quebec grants (1998-9) $ 3,700 1998 SSHRC Research Grant (1998-2001) 57,000 1997 SSHRC Minor Research Grant 2,000 1993 SSHRC Research Grant (1993-1996) $101,000 1990 SSHRC Research Grant 36,000 1990 SSHRC Travel Grant 900 1990 OAC Project Grant 4,700 1988 SSHRC Research Grant 2,300 1986 Faculty of Arts Research Grant 1,100 1986 SSHRC International Travel Grant 2,400 1986 SSHRC Conferences - Conference Grant 2,350 1986 Institute for Hungarian Studies Toronto Conference Grant 1,000 1985-6 SSHRC Res. Grant 28,000 1985 SSHRC International Travel Grant 1,100 1984 SSHRC International Travel Grant 1,850 1981-2 York Indiv. Res. Grant 450 1981-2 SSHRC Indiv. Res. Grant 1,409 1980-1 York Indiv. Res. Grant 125 1980-1 SSHRCC Indiv. Res. Grant 500 1977-8 Canada Council Leave Fellowship 7,000 1977 Canada Council Research Fellowship 4,200 1975 Small Research Grant, York University 950 1973 Small Research Grant, York University 400 1970 Minor Research Grant, Queen's University 2,400 1961 Leverhulme Graduate Fellowship 750
GRANTS FOR CREATIVE WORKS
1992 Ontario Arts Council Grant for border/lines 27,500 1992 Canada Council Grant for border/lines 8,000 1991 Canada Council Grant for border/lines 8,000 1990 Ontario Arts Council Grant for border/lines 27,000 1990 Canada Council Grant for border/lines 15,000 1989 Ontario Arts Council Grant for border/lines 24,500 1988 Ontario Arts Council Grant for border/lines 18,000 1988 Canada Council Grant for border/lines 11,500 1987 Ontario Arts Council Grant for border/lines 14,000 1986 Canada Council Grant for border/lines 9,000 1986 Ontario Arts Council Grant for border/lines 11,400 1985 York Ad-Hoc Grant for border/lines 2,500 1984 York Vice Pres.(Acad.) Grant for border/lines 2,500 1984 York Dean of Arts Grant for border/lines 500 1983 York Ad-Hoc Grant for border/lines 2,400
CONTRACTED RESEARCH
1985 Control Data (Canada) Ltd. Indiv. Res. Grant 2,500 1981-2 Ernst & Winny Indiv. Res. Grant 1, 500 1981-2 Cardinal Communic. Indiv. Res. Grant 2,500 1965 U.K. Dept. of Education and Science Research Grant 24,000
Megan Stuart Mills, Ethnic Myth and Ethnic Survival - the Case of India's Anglo-Indian (Eurasian) Minority (SPT,1998)
Stephen Carter (SPT,1997)
Rhonda Hammer, Women, Violence and Feminisms:
Metacritical Perspectives (1997)
James Gillespie, Art and Spectacle (SPT, 1996)
Xiaoping Li, Culture and Social Change in China (1996)
Tila Kellman, Figuring Redemption: Reframing the Subject in Selected Work of Michael Snow (SPT, 1995)
Emily Fountas, Phenomenology of Dance (SPT, 1995)
Norman Morra, A Theoretical Study of Violence and Masculinity in North American Society (1995)
Kieran Keohane, Symptoms of Canada (1994)
Althea Trotman, African-Caribbean Perspectives of World View (1993)
Gail Faurschou, The Politics and Aesthetics of the Market (1992)
Janine Marschesault, Identity and Representation (SPT, 1993)
Kim Sawchuck, Marketing Technology & the Body (Soc & Political Thought, 1991)
Paul Nonnekes, Wild Play Unbound (1991)
George Skoulas, Modern State Forms and Class Practices in Nineteenth Century Europe (1991)
Samuel Danzig, Towards a Uniphont Economy of Egalitarian Overletters (Social and Political Thought, 1989)
Andreas Szomgyi, Reverse Salami Tactics (l988)
Gaile McGregor, Ec/Centric Visions: Reconstructing Australia (1987)
Gerry Tomany, A Society of Jobholders (1987)
Donald Gordon, American Literature on Japanese Management (1986)
Jody Berland, Social Re/percussions: The Social Production of Music Broadcasting in Canada (SPT, 1986)
Joel Tax, Information & Exclusion (1982)
Arnold Itwaru, The Invention of Canada (1983)
Odida Quamina, Trade Unions and Workers Participation in Guymine, Guyana (1982)
Raymond Morrow, The Sciology of Knowledge in the Frankfurt School (1981)
Thomas Baughman, A Dissertation on Marx's Philosophy of Democratic Society (1977)
Ed Hooven, (Though I was unable to be present at the defence) The Socio-Historical Imagination: A Critique of
Barrington Moore, Jr (1977)
Ph.D. As Member of Supervisory Committee
Carmen Kuhling (1998)
Sourayan Mukherjee (SPT, 1996)
Deborah Simmons, Against Capital: The Political Economy of Aboriginal Resistance in Canada (SPT, 1995)
Gary Genosco, Bar Games: Baudrillard's Economy of the Sign (SPT, 1993)
Brenda Longfellow, Eccentric Subjects: Feminist Film Theory and its Others. (SPT, 1993)
Loretta Czernis, Report on the Task Force on Canadian Unity: Rereading a Rewriting of Canada. (1988)
Scott Forsythe, From Silver Screen to Red Flag: Marxism, Revolution and Popular Film (SPT, 1987)
Joe Galbo, Social and Cultural Origins of Italian Fascism, (1987)
Alan O'Connor, The Knowable Community: Writing and Politics in Raymond Williams (1987)
Larry Lyons, Discourse, Social Theory and the Subject (1986)
Kieran Bonner, The Use and Abuse of the Interest in Power (1986)
Leslie Miller, The Alienation of Influence (1985)
Dan Burston, Towards a Revised Freudio- Marxism (SPT, 1985)
Leslie Harman, The Modern Stranger: On Language and Membership (1984)
Sandra Wolfe, The Psychoanalytic Theory of Artistic Creativity (1984)
Pat Mills, Woman, Nature and Psyche: The Domination Of Nature In The Tradition Of Critical Theory (SPT, 1984)
Jay Goulding, The Last Outport: Newfoundland in Crisis (1982)
Janice Lum, Private Space and Public Order in Contemporary China (SPT, 1981)
Deborah Harrison, Canada and the Limits of Liberalism (1980)
Richard Wolin, An aesthetic of Redemtion: a study of Walter Benjamin (SPT, 1980)
Ph.D. Thesis, External Member
Yvonne Vera (English) (1996)
Ed Comer (Political Science) (1995)
Mark Fortier (English) (1989)
Satu Repo (Sociology, O.I.S.E.) (1986)
Rachel Brenner (English) (1986)
Janice Williamson (English) (1986)
Anne Wilson (English) (1985)
Akupo Agyman, (Political Science) (1983)
Leonard Roy Early, (English) (1980)
MA/MFA External
Genevieve Sauvageau (Psychology, York) (1998)
Lori Roussel, Health in Hand (Fine Arts, York) (1996)
Jason Haslam (English, McGill) (1996)
MA Thesis (Chair of Supervisory committee where dissertations were required)
Susan Lord: The Armed Eye: Women and Film in the Work of Germaine Dulac (SPT, 1991)
Louie Kontos, Cybernetics as Anti-Theory (SPT, 1991)
Tony Depasquale, The Sociology of Italian-Canadian Writing (1989)
Ingrid Myerhofer, Culture and Revolution in Nicaragua (Interdisciplinary Studies) (1989)
David Walker, The Programming of the Body: An Analysis Of The Title, Sequence Of The Television Series Kojak (Interdisciplinary Studies) (1984)
Kathleen Pinder, The View of Forms of Theatre in Trinidad and the State Input (Interdisciplinary Studies) (1984)
David Ross, A Reading of Durkheim's The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life (1983)
Iwona Irwin-Zarecka, Sociology of Film Theory & Practice (1980)
Arnold Itwaru, The Image of the Other (1979)
Ph.D. Theses in Process: Chair of Supervision Committee
Valerie Scatamburlo
Veronique Tomaszewski
Caitlin Fisher