Anthony King (political scientist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anthony King
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King giving a talk on "The Blunders of our Governments" at the Essex Book Festival, 2014
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| Born |
Anthony Stephen King
17 November 1934 Canada
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| Died | 12 January 2017 (aged 82) |
| Nationality | Canadian-British |
| Alma mater | Queen's University, Ontario University of Oxford |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Government, psephology |
| Institutions | University of Essex |
| Thesis | Some aspects of the history of the Liberal Party in Britain, 1906–1914 |
Anthony Stephen King (1934 – 2017) was a well-known Canadian-British professor. He studied how governments work and was a "psephologist," which means he studied elections and voting patterns. He also often shared his thoughts as a commentator on TV and in newspapers. For many years, he taught at the University of Essex.
Contents
Who Was Anthony King?
Anthony King was an important expert who helped people understand politics. He was known for explaining complicated government ideas in a clear way. He spent his life teaching, writing, and talking about how countries are run.
Early Life and Education
Anthony King was born in Canada on November 17, 1934. His parents were Marjorie and Harold King. He went to Queen's University in Ontario, Canada. There, he earned a degree in History and Economics.
In the 1950s, he moved to the UK. He received a special scholarship called a Rhodes Scholarship. This allowed him to study at the University of Oxford. He earned a special degree called a D.Phil. His research was about the history of the Liberal Party in Britain.
A Career in Politics and Teaching
Anthony King first taught at Magdalen College, Oxford. Later, he moved to the University of Essex. He became a Professor of Government there in 1969. He never officially retired from Essex.
He taught a popular course called GV100 – Introduction to Politics. He also led a special class for bright students. Besides Essex, he taught in the United States at Princeton and the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Explaining Elections on TV
Anthony King was famous for appearing on TV during election nights. From 1983 to 2005, he was the main analyst for the BBC. He helped viewers understand what the election results meant. He also wrote monthly articles for The Daily Telegraph. In these articles, he explained what political polls showed about how people planned to vote.
Writing About Politics
King wrote many books about politics. He also helped edit a series of essays called Britain at the Polls. In 2008, he co-edited a book called The British Constitution.
Some of his other books include:
- Britain Says Yes: the 1975 Referendum on the Common Market
- Running Scared: Why America's Politicians Campaign Too Much and Govern Too Little
- SDP: The Birth, Life and Death of the Social Democratic Party (with Ivor Crewe)
- The Blunders of our Governments (also with Ivor Crewe)
Helping Government Work Better
Anthony King was part of important groups that helped improve government. He was on the Committee on Standards in Public Life. This group works to make sure politicians act honestly. He also served on the Royal Commission on the Reform of the House of Lords. This commission looked at ways to change part of the UK's Parliament.
In 2010, he became a Fellow of the British Academy. This is a big honor for experts in humanities and social sciences. He also worked with the Institute for Government. This charity helps make the UK government more effective. Later in his life, he studied the British constitution, the role of the British prime minister, American politics, and the history of democracy.
He was also a member of the Academia Europaea. This is a group of top European scholars. He was an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He was also a life Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Personal Life
Anthony King was married twice. His first wife, Vera Korte, passed away in 1971. He then married Jan Reece in 1980.
Anthony King died on January 12, 2017, when he was 82 years old.
See Also
- Staff Profile: Anthony King – Department of Government – University of Essex
- Who's Who 2007
