Dénes Némedi  (1942-2010)

Biography 


I was born in Debrecen in 1942.  After the vicissitudes of WWII, in 1948, I started my school years in the elementary school of  Füvészkert in Debrecen; however, as my family moved to Eger in 1949, I attended primary and secondary school there; the experiences of my childhood and the years as a secondary school student  can be connected to Eger and Dobó Grammar School. 

Due to my interests and family traditions I became bachelor of arts, I started my university studies in Debrecen, on Hungarian – history faculties, later I decided to be a historian and I graduated in history. My thesis was written on the “nation-concept” of austromarxist Karl Renner and Otto Bauer (the thesis can be found in the library of the university, I lost my copy). After graduation I married and I taught in Kossuth Secondary School in Debrecen for 2 years, then I went to work in the  Institute of Marxism-Leninism of the University of Debrecen (earlier: it was a university of medicine and health sciences). 

Here, in the institute, following my interests in history of ideas, I wrote my PhD dissertation about the revisory nationalism of Magyar Szemle (Hungarian Review) in 1970 (the convocation to bestow the doctor's degree took place later).  The most important chapters of the dissertation were published in Történelmi Szemle (Historical Review) in 1972. 

My relatively “peripheral contact” with sociology in 1967 left a mark on my life-work; I read a lot and I participated in a research as well.  As the result of this activity, in 1973 I went to the Department of Sociology which was established in the ‘70s. Tibor Huszár employed me and I did some research works in the field of the history of ideas and intellectuals; based on the researches, I wrote another dissertation (published with the title  
A népi szociográfia in 1985). 

We moved to Budapest in 1974. 

Between 1973 and 1982  I  improved and increased my knowledge in the field of theoretical sociology  besides dealing with the rather historic issue; I participated in an important research, its topic is included  in some of my essays.  I started to teach history of sociology in 1980. 

From the 1980s my essays and studies covered mainly articles related to the theory of sociology and the research of Hungarian public discourses; a greater work was under construction, but the main motivation to finish the work was the opportunity to spend 9 months at the Centre de sociologie de l'education et de la culture in Paris (October 1991 – June 1992). 

I wrote a book titled  Durkheim. Tudás és társadalom; it was published in 1996, its manuscript was submitted in 1994 as a dissertation. 

I gradually gained the university ranks, one after the other, from senior lecturer (1980) to professor emeritus (2001).  Besides, administrative and managing duties and responsibilities were made by some positions I had. From 1990  I also participated in the preparation of  sociological PhD education; it was launched in 1993. I was the coordinator of the education project  (1993-1994); from 1994  I was a teacher belonging to the staff of educators; from  October 2000  I was charged with the management of PhD education developed on the basis of new regulations.
To fulfill the duties of professor emeritus,  I wrote articles, took part in conferences, I was the  president of the professional association twice, and chief editor of  the specialized journal three times.

New changes took place in the middle of the 2000s:  
I made a summary of my essays related to the history of sociology. I could do that easier due to the three-month-long research tour at Yale University in the USA  supported by Fulbright Commission. The result was a book on classical sociology. On the other hand, I was the leader of a research program in the period of 2004-2006  (OTKA Tudományos Iskolák - Hungarian Scientific  Research Fund  (Scientific Schools)).  

A team of ambitious and talented young volunteers and grant recipients took part in the research and its result was a book, a great volume of essays.


(With the widow's consent and contribution.)

 

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