Charles A. Ellwood

Charles Abram Ellwood (January 20, 1873 near Ogdensburg, New York – September 25, 1946) was an American sociologist who was professor of sociology at University of Missouri-Columbia and Duke University. He has been described as one of the leading American sociologists of the interwar period, studying intolerance, communication and revolutions and using many multidisciplinary methods.

He argued that sociology should play a role in directing cultural evolution through education of society. He pioneered social psychology research in sociology.

Early life Ellwood was born to Gibson and Maria Walrath Ellwood on January 20, 1873, on the family farm close to Black Lake, New York. He studied at Cornell University from 1892 to 1896.

Academic career After graduating from Cornell in 1896, he joined University of Chicago where graduated with a PhD in sociology and philosophy in 1899. He was the fourteenth president of the American Sociological Association in 1924. He spent the first 30 years of his career and rose to national prominence at the University of Missouri-Columbia. From 1930 to 1946, Ellwood chaired the sociology department at Duke University. He authored the 1940 book, The World's Need of Christ, which argues that the teachings of Jesus has solutions to the major ills of humanity.

He became professor emeritus in 1944.

Personal life He was married to Ida Breckinridge. The Social Problem: A Constructive Analysis (1915) An Introduction to Social Psychology. 1917. The Reconstruction of Religion. 1922. Methods in Sociology. Duke University Press, 1933.

He also monographs and special articles on social psychology.