In Memoriam: Professor Colin H. Williams

We are very sorry to share the news that Professor Colin H. Williams, Honorary Professor at Cardiff University’s School of Welsh, former Senior Research Associate of the Von Hügel Institute and Visiting Fellow of St Edmund’s College, has passed away.

Colin was a longstanding and much-valued member of both the VHI and wider College community. He will be remembered warmly by many members and friends of St Edmund’s.

An internationally respected scholar, Colin’s work focused on sociolinguistics, language policy, bilingual education, minority relations, and political geography. Alongside his academic work, he advised governments and international organisations on minority and language policy issues. Through the VHI, he also contributed to research on post-conflict reconstruction and reconciliation. Most recently, Colin had been awarded a prestigious Leverhulme Emeritus Fellowship to carry on a research on “The Transformation of Official Language Regimes”, focusing on minority language policies as an expression of human respect and dignity and as an attempt to reduce structural strains arising from former discriminatory approaches.

You can read more about his career and recent publications on our website.

We extend our sincere condolences to Colin’s family, friends, colleagues, and all who knew him.