The Westermarck Society

Much of the credit for the status of sociology in Finnish universities at the turn of the century could be attributed to Edvard Westermarck. Up until the Second World War, its teaching in Finland was entirely in the hands of Westermarck and his students. In the 1940s, certain of his students set up a national learned society for sociology, and named it The Westermarck Society. Founding members included Uno Harva (scholar of, among others, religious practices and myth, and shamanism) and Yrjö Hirn.

The Westermarck Society is still active in its support of sociological research. It organizes presentations, conferences, seminars, publications and assists with research. Since 1964 the Society has published the periodical Sociologia.

Since 1984, the Westermarck Society has awarded a prize for the best Master’s dissertation in the field of sociology. The Society also organises the annual National Sociology Conference and, together with the biennial Finnish Anthropological Society, the Westermarck Memorial Lecture.

Sources:

Olli Lagerspetz, ”Westermarck, Edvard”, Filosofia.fi web publication. Accessed March 18, 2015.
The Westermarck Society, Accessed March 18, 2015.

By Written by Tomas Sjöblom. Translated by John Calton.

Edvard Westermarck

Edvard Alexander Westermarck
Born November 20, 1862, Helsinki. Died September 3, 1939 Tenhola.

Master of Philosophy, 1886, Licentiate of Philosophy, 1889, Doctor of Philosophy, 1890, Imperial Alexander University

Professor of Philosophy 1918–1932, Rector, 1918–1921, Åbo Akademi
Lecturer in Sociology 1904–1907, Professor 1907–1930, London School of Economics
Docent in Sociology 1890–1906, Professor of Practical Philosophy 1906–1918, Imperial Alexander University

Curator 1890–1895, Inspector 1913–1918, Uusimaa student organization

Honours
Honorary Doctorate, University of Uppsala, 1932
Honorary Doctorate (Medical Sciences), University of Glasgow, 1928
Honorary Doctorate, University of Aberdeen, 1912
Commander, 2nd class, Order of the Polar Star, 1925
Commander, 2nd class, Order of the White Rose of Finland, 1919
Cross of Liberty, 1st class, 1918
Order of St Anna, 3rd class, 1911

Westermarck Society founded in 1940

Photo: Wikimedia
Written by Tomas Sjöblom
Translated by John Calton