Thomas Mathiesen has passed away

It is with great sorrow we have learned the news that Thomas Mathiesen passed away on Saturday 29 May.

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Thomas Mathiesen (1933-2021). Photo: private.

Thomas Mathiesen, born on 5 October 1933, was one of the founders of sociology of law in Norway.

Thomas Mathiesen studied sociology at the University of Wisconsin (1953-55) and defended his doctoral thesis The Defences of the Weak at the University of Oslo in 1965. Mathiesen was appointed professor in sociology of law in 1972 and became emeriti in 2004.

Mathiesen was a member of what has been called the «golden age» in Norwegian Sociology. He is particularly known for his research on prisons, abolitionism and for his academic activism.

Mathiesen was also one of the founders of KROM – The Norwegian Association for Penal Reform in 1968, and has been an active member until this day. Mathiesen was one of Norway’s foremost social scientists. For more than half a century, Mathiesen was not only a leading intellectual figure in sociology of law and criminology, but also an active participant in public debate.

Mathiesen received several awards for his research and activism such as the Denis Carroll award, the Zola Prize for civil courage and the Norwegian Society of Sociology’s honorary award. His research has been translated into Swedish, Danish, German, English, Italian, Spanish, Serbian and Mandarin, to mention a few.

He will be deeply missed.

Published May 30, 2021 10:28 PM - Last modified Mar. 23, 2023 3:32 PM