Ulrich Beck: key obituary facts
Is Ulrich Beck dead? Yes. Ulrich Beck died on January 1, 2015, at age 70.
Cause of death: Ulrich Beck's cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.
What was Ulrich Beck known for?
He was a German sociologist & scholar (1944–2015).
More about Ulrich Beck
Born: 15 May 1944.
Place of birth: Słupsk.
Place of death: Munich.
Gender: male.
Occupation: sociologist, university teacher, economist.
Nationality: Switzerland, Germany.
Education: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, London School of Economics and Political Science.
Employer: Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, University of Münster, London School of Economics and Political Science.
Notable work: risk society.
Awards: Otto von der Gablentz award, Schader Award, Cicero Orator Prize, honorary doctor of the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Honorary doctor of the University of Lausanne, Honorary Doctorate of University of Buenos Aires, honorary doctor of Sofia University.
Spouse: Elisabeth Beck-Gernsheim.
Ulrich Beck, the German sociologist who helped shape the study of risk in modern society, died on January 1, 2015, aged 70.
Born in Słupsk in 1944, he became one of the most widely cited social scientists of his generation and is best known for developing the ideas of “risk society” and “second modernity,” also described as reflexive modernization. His work examined uncertainty, ignorance and uncontrollability in contemporary life, while challenging sociology to move beyond national perspectives toward a cosmopolitan view of an interconnected world.
Beck taught at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München and also held appointments at the University of Münster and the London School of Economics.