Allan Kellehear

Professor Allan Kellehear is a medical and public health sociologist at Northumbria University, leading the Social Work, Education & Community Wellbeing school. He holds an honorary professorship in theology and religion at Durham University and is a patron of national Doula associations. A globally recognized scholar, he pioneered the 'compassionate community' approach to palliative care, now integrated into national policies worldwide. His research spans the sociology of dying, near-death experiences, and public health strategies for end-of-life care. He has authored/co-edited major works like the Oxford Textbook of Public Health Palliative Care (2022), contributed to the Lancet Commission Report on the Value of Death (2022), and was awarded an OBE in 2025.

Education: PhD and BA (Hons) in Sociology from the University of New South Wales (1978, 1987). Previous academic roles include professorships at La Trobe University (Australia), University of Tokyo (Japan), and institutions in England and the USA. Professional roles include co-chair of the National End-of-Life Care Coalition and co-founder of Compassionate Communities UK.

Research interests include public health policies for end-of-life care, sociological perspectives on ageing, and the anthropology of mystical states near death. His work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals focusing on health equity and community well-being.

Awards: OBE (2025), Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (since 2011). His articles critically examine dying behaviors, compassionate community models, and near-death phenomena, emphasizing interdisciplinary and culturally sensitive approaches.