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 - 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 entries
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
Created: 5 July 2022