Todd Gitlin, longtime journalism and sociology professor, dies at 79

Upper West Side NY

08 February, 2022

5:35 PM

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Columbia Daily Spectator BY DYLAN ANDRES FEBRUARY 7, 2022, 11:12 PM Todd Gitlin, chair of the Journalism School's doctoral communications program, died on Saturday at the age of 79. Gitlin, who spent over two decades at Columbia as a professor, was an author, activist, and academic who left a distinct mark on the fields of sociology and journalism. Gitlin's career of activism began in his youth, serving as the president of Students for a Democratic Society. In 1965, he helped organize one of the first national protests in opposition to the Vietnam War and led the first American demonstrations against South African apartheid that same year. Gitlin went on to lead a life defined by a commitment to enacting social change. He wrote 16 books, contributed to publications including the New York Times and the Washington Post, gave lectures in the United States and abroad, and was awarded the Harold U. Ribalow Prize for writing fiction on Jewish themes. Eric Klinenberg, a mentee and friend of Gitlin's, public sociologist, and scholar of urban studies, culture, and media, said Gitlin's "scholarship and teaching were about making the world more just and decent, as was his life outside of work." "In an academic world that can be doctrinaire and ideological, Todd remained open-minded—and nimble-minded, too," Klinenberg said. "He expressed his ideas in all kinds of ways, from learned scholarly monographs to fiery political essays and novels. He was a model of the great American public intellectual." Anne Nelson, an adjunct research scholar at the School of International and Public Affairs and former director of the Journalism School's International Program, and a longtime colleague and friend of Gitlin's, said he stood out from other academics in his ability to view events and trends in a holistic manner. "Todd was singular in the way that he then stepped back and became a scholar and an analyst and historian of not just that period but the main currents of American history over his lifetime," she said. Nelson said Gitlin mentored "generations of young media scholars" with a "generosity of spirit." One such student was Mahesh Somashekhar, SEAS '05, who met Gitlin while doing an independent study in Columbia's sociology department. Gitlin would speak with him in his spare time when he said few other professors would and was uniquely willing to engage with undergraduate student groups, Somashekhar said. "Each interaction I had with him left a deep impression on me," Somashekhar said. "Conversations with him were fun and engaging, yet sobering. Professor Gitlin foresaw our present political moment coming from a mile away." Nelson attributes the growth of the Journalism School in recent years in large part to Gitlin. In past years, the Journalism School has raised over $50 million to expand financial aid and student access. "I would say that in the past, media scholarship was not really on the academic map. You had journalism schools and you had sociology courses, but it was hard to bring the two together and do a deep analysis of how journalism and media systems work, especially in our country," she said. "So Todd was a real pioneer, not only in this analysis, but also in mentoring young scholars to follow in his footsteps." Staff Writer Dylan Andres can be contacted at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @Dyllandres. Founded in 1877, the Columbia Daily Spectator is the independent undergraduate newspaper of Columbia University, serving thousands of readers in Morningside Heights, West Harlem, and beyond. Read more at columbiaspectator.com and donate here.