It was with great sadness that we learned about the death of Johnston Birchall, emeritus professor, writer, thinker, and leading co-operative scholar. Johnston was a great champion of the co-operative movement and he has left a legacy - a treasure trove of publications on member-based organisations, mutualism, governance and co-operative values and principles. He will be greatly missed.
Tributes to Johnston -
Nick Matthews, Vice Chair of Co-operative UK and director-member of UKSCS
His contribution to the thinking about co-operatives was immense. He was a prodigious champion of the co-operative and mutual sector with a level of knowledge and understanding that will be very hard to replace.
Dr. Richard Simmons, a good friend and collaborator with Johnston
It is with great sadness that we share the news that one of our leading co-operative scholars, Prof. Johnston Birchall, has passed away following an extended period of illness. Johnston will be long remembered as a leading author, scholar and thought-leader for co-operation internationally, with many of his publications translated into numerous languages. His major contributions include 'Building Communities the Co-operative Way' (1988; Re-issued 2014), 'Co-op: the People's Business' (1994), 'The International Co-operative Movement' (1997), 'People-Centred Businesses: co-operatives, mutuals and the idea of membership' (2010), and 'Finance in an Age of Austerity: the power of customer-owned banks' (2013). He was also the author of more than 60 academic articles and chapters, as well as influential reports for the ICA, ILO and UN, including 'Co-operatives and the Millennium Development Goals' (2004), 'Resilience of the Co-operative Business Model in Times of Crisis' (2009), and 'Resilience in a Downturn: the power of financial co-operatives' (2013). Many colleagues will remember Johnston's huge passion for his subject, his ability to communicate this to any audience - and his great humanity, humility and generosity in doing so. He will be sadly missed and our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues at this difficult time.
Please note: The family have requested that communications and condolences from co-operative colleagues should be channelled through his close friend and colleague, Dr. Richard Simmons at the University of Stirling: [email protected]