Jerry Marwell, expert on social movements, dies at 76

Gerald Marwell , Richard T. Ely Professor Emeritus of sociology, died on Sunday, March 24 in New York City. He was 76. "Jerry was one of the great sociologists of his generation, and highly respected among all of the different generations of our department," says Gary Sandefur , dean of the College of Letters & Science and fellow sociology professor since 1984. "For many years, he was a big part of the heart and soul of the department — one of the people most responsible for helping it to maintain its very high standards of scholarship, integrity and good management." Recognized for pioneering research on social cooperation and social movements, Marwell studied topics as varied as conflict in the U.S. House of Representatives, adolescent delinquency, parental child-rearing practices, geographic obstacles to women's academic careers and processes of religious secularization. His work led to what colleagues describe as an "unusually long and successful tenure" as editor of the American Sociological Review, the top journal in the field. Interim Chancellor David Ward enjoyed a long association with Marwell, serving with him in activities as varied as the Graduate Research Committee and coaching youth soccer. "Jerry was, in the best sense of the word, my friend — but he was also a classic Wisconsin faculty member," says Ward.