The collection reflects the professional interests of Dr Vincent Tucker.
Dr Vincent Tucker’s PhD (1984) focused on rural development with field work in Glencolumcille in south-west Donegal. From 1981-1990 Dr Tucker worked in the Centre for Co-Operative Studies at UCC. From 1984-1997 he lectured in the Department of Sociology and he was Acting Head of the department from 1995-1996.
Tucker was a committed activist and practitioner and was involved in a wide range of political campaigns such as a campaign against IDA funding of a factory making mercury soap to lighten the skin. His work in the Centre for Cooperative Studies at UCC was the focus of much activity in the 1980s. He organised conferences, training programmes / courses, produced booklets and videos. From 1983-1991 he was a founder member of the Cork Development Education Network, an organisation set up to encourage cooperation between the various development related organisations in the Cork area.
He was a committed scholar and teacher, engaging in a diverse range of fields and disciplines: anthropology to sociology to theology to philosophy, to cultural studies, to development studies to the biological sciences. Tucker edited The European Journal of Development Research ‘Cultural Perspectives on Development’ (1996 vol 8.2). He published The Myth of Development in the Occasional Paper Series in World and Irish Development. He was a driving force on the conceptualisation and development of the MA Programme in Irish and World Development and organised the establishment of the Research Resource Centre. He was an innovative teacher developing critical skills of students through case studies, locating issues in a historical and empirical context. Dr Vincent Tucker died in a car crash in 1997.
The collection was donated by Vincent Tucker’s wife.
Signature of Vincent Tucker.
