Education
Born in Palazzolo Vercellese, Piedmont (Italy) on April 7, 1926, Ferrarotti studied at the Universities of Turin, London and Chicago.
Born in Palazzolo Vercellese, Piedmont (Italy) on April 7, 1926, Ferrarotti studied at the Universities of Turin, London and Chicago.
He has been described as "the father of Italian sociology". In 1951, together with Nicola Abbagnano, he founded the Quaderni di Sociologia, which he edited until 1967 when he started Louisiana Critica Sociologica. In 1960 he was awarded the first full time chair of sociology established in the italian academic system.
A prolific writer and a worldwide traveller, he has taught in many universities all over the world, from Columbia University, The New School and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Tokyo University, Université Laval in Québec, Universidad Autonoma de Barcelona and Université la Sorbonne in Paris.
In 1963 he did not stand for reelection because the electoral law made it impossible to run as an independent, and more importantly, because he had decided to devote himself completely to teaching and research. A 2012 journal article referred to Ferrarotti as "the father of Italian sociology.".
Between 1945 and 1963 he was active in four fields: a) as an editorial consultant and translator for Giulio Einaudi in Turin. B) as a collaborator of Adriano Olivetti, concerning mostly industrial relations. C) as director of the “Social Factors”, of the OECE in Paris.
Doctorate) as an independent member of Parliament (1959-1963).