David Pollock (humanist)
{{Short description|British humanist (1942–2023)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = David Pollock
| image = David Pollock (humanist), 2011 (cropped).JPG
| alt =
| caption = Pollock in 2011
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1942|2|3|df=y}}
| birth_place =
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2023|5|12|1942|2|3|df=y}}
| death_place =
| nationality = British
| other_names =
| occupation = Humanist, and President of the European Humanist Federation
| years_active = 1961–2023
| known_for = Humanist campaigning; historical archives; instigating the All-Party Parliamentary Humanist Group
| notable_works =
}}
David Pollock (3 February 1942 – 12 May 2023) was a British humanist who served as President of the European Humanist Federation (EHF). He was also treasurer of the Education and Health Trust Uganda.{{cite web|url=http://www.ehtuganda.org/|title=Home - Education & Health Trust Uganda|author=|date=|website=www.ehtuganda.org|accessdate=1 March 2022}}
Life and career
Pollock was born on 3 February 1942.[https://humanists.uk/2012/02/03/news-978/ British Humanist Association, BHA wishes David Pollock a Happy 70th Birthday, 3 February 2012]. Accessed 1 March 2022 He became involved in 1961 with the humanist group[http://www.ouhg.org.uk/ Oxford University Humanist Group.] Accessed 1 March 2022 at Oxford University, where he studied Classics. He later worked in management in the National Coal Board, before becoming Director of Action on Smoking and Health between 1991 and 1995, and then of the Continence Foundation,[http://www.continence-foundation.org.uk/ The Continence Foundation closed in 2008 but its website is maintained by its successor the Bladder and Bowel Foundation http://www.bladderandbowelfoundation.org/about/about.asp]. Accessed 1 March 2022 between 1996 and 2001.[https://www.thinkingabouthumanism.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/CV403Jan2022.pdf David Pollock]. Accessed 1 March 2022 His research while at ASH led to his writing "Denial & Delay: The Political History of Smoking and Health, 1951–1964" (ASH, 1999 - {{ISBN|1 872428 44 4}}).{{Cite web|url=https://www.denialdelay.org.uk/|title=Denial & Delay|website=www.denialdelay.org.uk|access-date=1 March 2022}}
Pollock was a trustee of the British Humanist Association (BHA - now Humanists UK) between 1965 and 1975 (chair from 1970 to 1972) and again from 1997 to November 2021. He was a former board member (1979–2018; chair 1989–1991) of the Rationalist Association, publisher of New Humanist magazine.
Pollock was President of the European Humanist Federation between 2006 and 2012,{{Cite web |url=http://humanistfederation.eu/some-former-ehf-board-members/ |title=Some former EHF Board Members |access-date=1 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131102124144/http://humanistfederation.eu/some-former-ehf-board-members/ |archive-date=2 November 2013 |url-status=dead }} where he campaigned for secularism, human rights and equality within European and international institutions. He represented the International Humanist and Ethical Union (now Humanists International) at the Council of Europe from 2012 to 2017. He received the Distinguished Service to Humanism Award from Humanists International in 2011.{{cite news|url=https://humanists.international/2011/08/iheu-awards-2011/|title=IHEU Awards for 2011|date=23 August 2011|website=humanists.international|accessdate=1 March 2022|author1=Andy }}
His particular interest was in the law and religion and belief, especially the clash between laws on equality and non-discrimination and the human right to manifest a religion or belief. As EHF President he took part in the consultations of the EU-funded Religare project {{Cite web|title=Religious Diversity and Secular Models in Europe – Innovative Approaches to Law and Policy| url= http://www.religareproject.eu/ |access-date=1 March 2022}} and wrote a substantial paper for them {{Cite web|url=https://www.thinkingabouthumanism.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Religion-in-Society-full-paper.pdf|title=European Humanist Federation Religion in Society|last=|first=|date=|website=|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170328020201/https://www.thinkingabouthumanism.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Religion-in-Society-full-paper.pdf |archive-date=28 March 2017 |access-date=27 November 2019}} and contributed a critical review {{Cite web|url=https://www.thinkingabouthumanism.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Religare-response-Pollock-FINAL.pdf|title=An Ill-Disguised Defence of Religious Privilege|last=Pollock|first=David|date=|website=|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170328021535/https://www.thinkingabouthumanism.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Religare-response-Pollock-FINAL.pdf |archive-date=28 March 2017 |access-date=27 November 2019}} to the book in which their report was published.{{cite web|url=https://www.routledge.com/Belief-Law-and-Politics-What-Future-for-a-Secular-Europe-1st-Edition/Foblets-Alidadi-Yanasmayan/p/book/9781472453464|title=Belief, Law and Politics: What Future for a Secular Europe?, 1st Edition (Hardback) - Routledge|author=|date=|website=Routledge.com|accessdate=1 March 2022}} He gave evidence{{cite web|url=https://www.thinkingabouthumanism.org/religion/religion-and-belief-in-british-public-life/|title=Religion and Belief in British Public Life - David Pollock|author=|date=|website=thinkingabouthumanism.org|accessdate=1 March 2022}} to the Commission on Religion and Belief in British Public Life and was one of a group chaired by Rowan Williams convened by the Equality and Human Rights Commission that met in 2014-15 to consider the law on religion and belief and contribute thereby to the EHRC’s 2016 report "Religion or belief: is the law working?" {{cite web|url=https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/publication-download/religion-or-belief-law-working|title=Religion or belief: is the law working? - Equality and Human Rights Commission|author=|date=|website=www.equalityhumanrights.com|accessdate=19 December 2018}} He addressed the International Consortium for Law and Religion Studies{{Cite web|url=http://www.iclars.org/|title=ICLARS|website=www.iclars.org|access-date=27 November 2019}} (ICLARS) conference in Oxford in 2016 on whether there is or should be a right to freedom from religion.{{cite web|url=https://www.thinkingabouthumanism.org/religion/a-right-to-freedom-from-religion/|title=A Right to Freedom from Religion? - David Pollock|author=|date=|website=thinkingabouthumanism.org|accessdate=19 December 2018}} He has also written on charity law in relation to religion and belief.{{cite web|url=https://www.thinkingabouthumanism.org/religion/religious-and-non-religious-belief-in-charity-law/|title=Do advancement of religious (and non-religious) beliefs deserve charity status? - David Pollock|author=|date=|website=thinkingabouthumanism.org|accessdate=1 March 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thinkingabouthumanism.org/religion/religion-and-non-religious-beliefs-in-charity-law/|title=Religion and Non-Religious Beliefs in Charity Law - David Pollock|author=|date=|website=thinkingabouthumanism.org|accessdate=1 March 2022}}
In 2021 he published privately a collection of his writing under the title "Thinking about Humanism".
Pollock died from cancer on 12 May 2023, at the age of 81.{{cite web|url=https://humanists.uk/2023/05/13/humanists-uk-mourns-david-pollock-1942-2023-prolific-humanist-activist-and-leader/|title=Humanists UK mourns David Pollock (1942–2023), prolific humanist activist and leader|date=13 May 2023|accessdate=13 May 2023|work=Humanists UK}}
References
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External links
- [https://www.thinkingabouthumanism.org/ Personal webpage]
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