It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Professor Denis McQuail, one of the most recognized academics in Communication Sciences, a member of CECS’ permanent scientific external advisory committee, and a close friend of this centre.
His children, Rachel, Thomas e Matthew gave us the news in a simple message:
“To the very last, his mind and his wit were as sharp ever despite battling with a number of physical health problems in recent years and the devastating loss of our mother Rosemary in 2014. Dad was still scribbling notes and thoughts on the back of envelopes and scraps of paper relating to academic theory right up to the end. He valued the very many friendships that he made over the years across the globe. When health prevented him from travelling abroad to conferences he embraced new technology which allowed him to give a couple of keynote addresses at conferences by Skype on his iPad. We know so many of you by name and some in person and we thank you for helping to enrich his life. He lived it to the full. One of his last actions, prompted by his disappointment at the outcome of the Brexit vote, was to get the Irish passport he had long wanted.”
Denis McQuail was Emeritus Professor at the University of Amsterdam and Honoris Causa Doctor at the University of Ghent. In 2004 he was held the Cátedra Lloyd Braga, from Universidade do Minho, having given a conference with the following title: “Publication in a Free Society: The Problem of Accountability” (Available HERE).
(In this picture, Denis McQuail in Braga, in 2010, with Communication Sciences students, after the public tribute organized by CECS during IAMCR’s international conference).