Origins & Early Life

Manuel Castells Oliván (Catalan: [kəsˈteʎs]; born 9 February 1942) is a Spanish sociologist. He is well known for his authorship of a trilogy of works, entitled The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture. He is a scholar of the information society, communication and globalization. Castells is a full professor of sociology at the Open University of Catalonia (UOC) in Barcelona.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He is also a university professor and the Wallis Annenberg Chair Professor of Communication Technology and Society at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism in Los Angeles. Additionally, he is a professor emeritus of sociology and professor emeritus of city and regional planning at the University of California, Berkeley, where he taught for 24 years. He is also a fellow of St John's College at the University of Cambridge. The 2000–2014 research survey of the Social Sciences Citation Index ranks him as the world's fifth most-cited social science scholar, and the foremost-cited communication scholar. In 2012, Castells was awarded the Holberg Prize, for having "shaped our understanding of the political dynamics of urban and global economies in the network society...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Alexander Belyaev — Contemporary (Died in 1942) (1942): Pioneering Soviet science fiction writer, known as 'Russia's Jules Verne'
• Ama Ata Aidoo — Contemporary (Born in 1942) (1942): Pioneering Ghanaian writer, poet, and academician celebrated for feminist themes.
• Amitabh Bachchan — Contemporary (Born in 1942) (1942): Iconic figure of Hindi cinema, celebrated for versatility and enduring stardom.
• Adolf Galland — Shared historical date (02-09 · Died) (1996): German Luftwaffe general and celebrated flying ace of World War II.
• Adolph Menzel — Shared historical date (02-09 · Died) (1905): Pioneering German Realist master, celebrated for his detailed etchings and genre scenes.
• Anita Roddick — Historical peer (Born in 1942) (1942): Pioneering activist and founder of The Body Shop, championing ethical consumerism.
• Aretha Franklin — Historical peer (Born in 1942) (1942): The "Queen of Soul," Aretha Franklin defined American music with unparalleled vocal power.
• A. E. van Vogt — Historical peer (Died in 2000) (2000): Influential Canadian-American science fiction writer known for bizarre narratives.
• Abraham Pais — Historical peer (Died in 2000) (2000): Pioneering physicist and acclaimed science historian of modern physics.
• 2014 League of Legends World Championship — Historical peer (Born in 2014) (2014): The 4th League of Legends World Championship, held in Asia in 2014.
• 1942 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1942
• February 9 (02-09) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on February 9