Person

Williams, Michael (1935 - 2009)

Born
24 June 1935
Swansea, Wales
Died
26 October 2009
Oxford, United Kingdom
Occupation
Geographer

Summary

Michael Williams was widely-recognised for his research in historical geography and environmental history. Between 1961 and 1978 he lectured in geography at the University of Adelaide. During this time he became immersed in the study of the South Australian landscape, and produced some landmark publications. These included his paper "The historical geography of an artificial drainage system: the Lower South East of South Australia" (1964) and the book The making of the South Australian landscape. His involvement with the Institute of Australian Geographers included a term as Secretary. Williams returned to the United Kingdom in 1978, becoming Lecturer and ultimately Professor of Geography at the University of Oxford. His later research concerned the historical geography of American landscapes.

Details

Chronology

1956
Education - BA (hons), University College Swansea, University of Wales
1957 - 1960
Career position - Demonstrator Department of Geography, University of Wales
1960
Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), University of Wales
1961
Education - Diploma in Education, St Catharine's College, Cambridge
1961 - 1978
Career position - Lecturer, Department of Geography, University of Adelaide
1969 - 1972
Career position - Secretary, Institute of Australian Geographers
1978 - 1989
Career position - Lecturer in Geography, University of Oxford
1979
Award - John Lewis Gold Medal, Royal Geographical Society, South Australian Branch
1983 - 1988
Career position - Editor, Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers
1989 - 2009
Award - Fellow, British Academy
1990 - 1996
Career position - Reader in Geography, University of Oxford
1991
Award - DLitt, University of Wales
1991 - 2001
Career position - Co-Editor, Progress in human geography
1993 - 1996
Career position - Member of Council, British Academy
1993 - 1997
Career position - Co-Editor, Global environmental change
1993 - 2002
Career position - Sir Walter Raleigh Fellow, Oriel College, University of Oxford
1994 - 1997
Career position - Chair, Geography and Social Anthropology Section, British Academy
1996 - 2002
Career position - Professor of Geography, University of Oxford
2000 - 2002
Career position - Vice Provost, Oriel College, University of Oxford
2002 - 2009
Career position - Emeritus Professor, University of Oxford

Related Corporate Bodies

Published resources

Books

  • Williams, Michael, The making of the South Australian landscape: a study in the historical geography of Australia ( London, New York: Academic Press, 1976), 518 pp. Details
  • Williams, Michael, The changing rural landscape of South Australia (Richmond, Vic.: Heinemann Education Australia, 1977), 90 pp. Details

Edited Books

  • Williams, Michael ed., South Australia from the air ([Adelaide]: Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science in association with Melbourne University Press, 1969), 128 pp. Details

Journal Articles

  • Clout, Hugh, 'Professor Michael Williams 1935-2009', Geographical Journal, 176 (1) (2010), 111-4. Details
  • Heathcote, R. L., 'Michael Williams (1935 - 2009)', Geographical research, 48 (2) (2010), 215-7. Details
  • Williams, Michael, 'The historical geography of an artificial drainage system: the Lower South East of South Australia', Australian geographical studies, 2 (1964), 87-102. Details

Helen Cohn

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