Laurie Taylor (sociologist)

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Laurence "Laurie" Taylor (born August 1, 1936) is a British sociologist and radio presenter from Liverpool.

1 Early life
2 Academic career
3 Media
4 Private life
5 Trivia
6 External links

[edit] Early life

After attending Catholic schools, Taylor first trained as an actor, being associated with Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop in Stratford East and also worked as a teacher at a comprehensive school.

[edit] Academic career

After earning degrees in sociology and psychology, as a mature student, at Birkbeck College and the University of Leicester, he joined the department of sociology at York University, becoming a professor at that institution. He has now retired from this position.

He has a particular interest in criminology and has collaborated on research with the bank robber John McVicar. In 2003 Taylor, with his son Matthew, published What Are Children For?, a contemporary oral history on parenthood.

[edit] Media

Taylor has had an extensive broadcasting career on BBC Radio 4. For many years he was a regular participant on Robert Robinson's fiercely competitive talking programme Stop the Week, later presented The Radio Show and took on The Afternoon Shift, a re-branding of the ill-fated programme presented by Gerry Anderson.

Today, he regularly presents the sociological discussion programme Thinking Allowed on BBC Radio 4. In addition, he is well known in academic circles for his long-running column in the Times Higher Education Supplement as well as for New Humanist magazine and being a Distinguished Supporter of the British Humanist Association.

[edit] Private life

Laurie Taylor's current wife (his third) is the radio producer Cathy Mahoney who works on Loose Ends, a comedy show on BBC Radio Four. He was previously married to the journalist Anna Coote, who has also been associated with various public organisations.

[edit] Trivia

Taylor is still sometimes thought to be the model for Howard Kirk in Malcolm Bradbury's novel The History Man ([1]) although Bradbury and Taylor had not met at the time, but Taylor had been a member of the Trotskyist International Socialists ([2]).