R. W. Davies

Robert William "Bob" Davies, best known as R. W. Davies, (born 23 April 1925) is professor emeritus of Soviet Economic Studies, University of Birmingham. Obtaining his PhD in 1954, Davies was promoted to full professor and made chair of the Centre for Russian and East European Studies (CREES) at the University of Birmingham in 1965. He retired from active teaching in 1989.

R. W. Davies
Born (1925-04-23) 23 April 1925
London, England, United Kingdom
NationalityBritish
Alma materUniversity of London
University of Birmingham
Scientific career
InstitutionsUniversity of Birmingham

A collaborator and co-author with historian E. H. Carr on two volumes of his massive 14 volume History of Soviet Russia, Davies is best known for having carried Carr's work forward into the 1930s with seven additional volumes of economic history under the general title, The Industrialisation of Soviet Russia.

Biography

Early years

During World War II Davies served in the Royal Air Force, wearing the uniform from 1943 to 1946.[1] He was stationed in the Middle East from 1945 to 1946.[1]

Academic career

Davies obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from the School of Slavonic and East European Studies at the University of London in 1950.[2] He subsequently attended the University of Birmingham, where he obtained his PhD in Commerce and Social Science under the supervision of historian Alexander Baykov.[2]

After completing his PhD, Davies was appointed to a post as assistant lecturer at the Institute of Soviet Studies at the University of Glasgow, where he would remain until his return to the University of Birmingham in 1956.[1] At Birmingham Davies would hold a succession of academic titles, including Research Fellow, Lecturer, and Senior Lecturer.[1] Davies was appointed as a professor of Soviet Economic Studies by the University of Birmingham in 1965.[1]

In 1963, Davies was named the first director of the Centre for Russian and East European Studies (CREES) at the University of Birmingham — a post which he would retain until 1978.[1]

Davies retired in 1989 and was named Senior Fellow and Emeritus Professor by the university upon his departure from active teaching.[1]

His research contributions in the history of the Soviet Union are recognized by the peers.[3] Davies' papers are housed in the Special Collections department of the University of Birmingham.[4] A temporary register of the Davies' collection, contained in 70 archival boxes, is available.[4]

Footnotes
  1. "Professor Bob Davies: Biography," University of Birmingham, www.birmingham.ac.uk/, accessed 4 March 2016.
  2. "Professor Bob Davies: Qualifications," University of Birmingham, www.birmingham.ac.uk/, accessed 4 March 2016.
  3. Julian Cooper, Maureen Perrie and E. A. Rees (eds.), Soviet History 1917-1945: Essays in Honour of R. W. Davies (London, Macmillan, 1995)
  4. "US125: Papers of R.W. Davies: Preliminary Handlist," University of Birmingham, Special Collections.
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