As well as reaching so many lives through her public work and profile I am sure Doreen reached many others in less obvious ways. During the early 1990s I was a course tutor on the Open University module 'Changing Britain, Changing World' which Doreen was central to the design of. I tutored a class based at Wolverhampton University that included a former factory worker who was taking the course as a way of making sense of the devastating deindustrialisation that had cost him his job and so damaged his community. He struggled with academic writing styles and conventions and I had given him low to, at best, moderate marks throughout. About half way through the module Doreen moderated one of his essays that I had marked. See detected in the essay insights that I had overlooked in examining it through an overly restrictive academic straightjacket and spoke warmly of his work and perspective in her moderation comments. Reporting Doreen's comments to the student was a transformative moment for him, giving him a confidence he had previously lacked and validating his insight. His marks went up and up after that and he passed the module with ease.
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From: A forum for critical and radical geographers [[log in to unmask]] on behalf of R Lee [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 13 March 2016 12:19
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Doreen Massey 1944-2016
Dear Michael, Dear Parvati
Thank you for letting us know of this desperately sad and shocking news. I am numb.
Perhaps what I will miss most is Doreen’s laugh.
We met from time-to-time for a cuppa and cakes at a favourite spot in Soho, occupied a table for a couple of hours or so and had the best kind of conversation – of football and politics. Doreen’s laugh was so life affirming and inclusive and, as with everything that she did and was, it signified her innate inclusivity, warmth, generosity and passionate engagement in all things humanitarian at whatever scale and significance. For her, the significance was in the act of political practice not in the scale or public profile.
And all of that – and so much more - will remain with me always. What a remarkable privilege.
Roger Lee
School of Geography
Queen Mary University of London
From: A forum for critical and radical geographers <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> on behalf of "Parvati.Raghuram" <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
Reply-To: "Parvati.Raghuram" <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
Date: Saturday, 12 March 2016 21:46
To: "[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>" <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>>
Subject: Doreen Massey 1944-2016
Dear All,
As many of you will have heard Doreen Massey passed away on Friday. This is very sad, sudden and shocking news. All of you we’re sure will join with us in conveying our thoughts and sympathy to Doreen’s family.
Doreen was a true intellectual force in Geography and the wider academic community not just in Britain but across the globe, as you are all too aware. Her loss will be felt by us in the Geography Department at The Open University, for we had the privilege of knowing her personally, and by our University, to which she was truly and wholly committed. Doreen’s passing will also be a profound loss to all those who were inspired by her work, which was always stimulating, not least because it was sharpened by her keen sense of political purpose and commitment.
Michael Pryke
Head of the Department of Geography
and
Parvati Raghuram
Director of OpenSpace
Geography,
Faculty of Social Sciences,
The Open University
Walton Hall,
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA
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