We were shocked and saddened to learn of the death yesterday of Margaret Archer. Maggie was the leading sociological advocate of critical realism and the most important figure in establishing the influence of critical realism after its founder, Roy Bhaskar. She was a member and trustee of the Centre for Critical Realism from its inception until her death, and a committed advocate for spreading its message to new researchers.
Maggie was influential, not only as a critical realist, but as a leading sociological theorist with a passion for applying theory to practical issues. Her roles as the first female President of the International Sociological Assocation (1986-90) and the President of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences (2014-19) give some indication of her influence. A fuller obituary can be found here on the website of the British Sociological Association.
Maggie’s work, particularly her outstanding trilogies of books on realist social theory and reflexivity, and the morphogenetic approach she developed in them, will continue to inspire and guide critical realist research. We will miss her deeply as a friend and colleague as well as a scholar.
Centre for Critical Realism
22nd May 2023