It is with great sadness that we inform that Maria Rita Duarte Raposo has died aged 61, after a prolonged illness. She was one of the most respected and admired sociologists of her generation.
The funeral will take place today, Monday. It will leave from the Church of São Pedro (Igreja Velha) at 12.00, for the cemetery of Casal de Cambra.
In memoriam of Maria Rita Duarte Raposo
"With a degree in Sociology from FCSH/UNL and a Masters in Economics and a PhD in Economic and Organisational Sociology from ISEG, Rita was a key figure in the advancement of urban and territorial sociology, bringing a unique contribution to the study of private condominiums, a topic that earned her national and international prominence. Her definition of culture and her approach to so-called ‘cultural studies’, and the respective ‘cultural turn’ are examples of the constitutional hallmarks of her research, which, unfortunately, has not received the attention it deserves from the academic community. She encouraged interdisciplinary cooperation, and the results of her joint collaboration with geographers, economists, and other social science researchers are well known
Founder and dedicated researcher at SOCIUS, a research center in Economic and Organizational Sociology, Rita was the author of numerous scientific articles and books, and maintained a long and fruitful career as a professor at the Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestão (ISEG/ULisboa), her adopted home, where she was deeply admired by students from all backgrounds and colleagues. She left an invaluable academic legacy and an indelible mark on the lives of all those who shared her path.
In addition to her brilliant career, Rita was a woman of multiple passions. An amateur photographer with a keen eye for detail, she found in photography a way of capturing the beauty and complexity of the world. She loved cats, whom she regarded as faithful companions and accomplices in her daily routine. With an acute sense of civic committed, Rita always made her leanings and convictions clear, ranging from her participation in professional and academic associations, through to her involvement in social movements which she considered essential for the democratic experience that was, for her, an essential part of her existence.
Another of his great passions was traveling, particularly to Southeast Asia, with a special affection for Malaysia, where she cultivated lasting friendships and relevant professional contacts that enriched both her personal life and her academic work. These trips gave her a deep understanding of the cultures and urban spaces of the region, which in turn influenced and broadened her sociological outlook of all that surrounded her.
With her dry and genuine sense of humour, she was a loyal, generous, and ever-present presence among her friends and colleagues. As well as possessing a brilliant mind, Rita was an incomparable, difficult, and demanding companion, whose intelligence, humour and humanity made her unique.
In loving memory."
Rafael Marques
