Salvador Giner - Biography#

Biography (in Catalan)

Salvador Giner is President of the Institute for Catalan Studies, the Catalan Academy of Sciences and Humanities (from 2005, vicepresident , 2002–2005) and Emeritus Professor at the University of Barcelona.

He received his PhD in Sociology from the University of Chicago, and completed postgraduate studies at the University of Cologne. He later graduated in Law from the University of Barcelona.

Salvador Giner is one of the most important sociologists who introduced the subject in Spain during a time of political, social and cultural adversity. His theoretical and empirical studies have made important contributions to the global scientific community. He proposed the concept of latent structures which tries to group different theories and research, even those developed in different times and spaces, to address the existing theoretical pluralism in sociology.

He has authored numerous publications, with more than 250 scientific articles and essays in prestigious journals and over 40 books on sociology, politics, and philosophy that have decisively influenced current sociological thought.

He was co-founder and president of the Catalan Association of Sociology (1979); co-founder, vice-president (1979–1987) and president (1987–1991) of the Spanish Sociological Association, and co-founder of the European Sociological Association (1992). He has also been a member of the Organising and Scientific Committees of several international Conferences, such as: the European Union Social Sciences Conference (Bruges, 2001); the Human Capital and Mobility Programme, European Community (1992-1994); the 1st European Social Science Conference, UNESCO (1991); the World Congress of Sociology (Madrid, 1990); and the European Prize for Social Science (Amalfi Prize, Italy, since 1989), among others.

He has imparted seminars and lectures around the world, and is visiting professor in many universities in Spain (Autonomous University of Barcelona) and abroad (University of Rome, Autonomous University of Mexico, University of Puerto Rico, University of Costa Rica, University of Buenos Aires).

He has been invested doctor honoris causa by various universities and in 1995 he was received the prestigious 'Creu de Sant Jordi,' one of the highest civil distinctions awarded by the Government of Catalonia.