Dr Caspar Melville, Senior Lecturer in Global Creative and Cultural Industries, has passed at the age of 58

Dr Caspar Melville, Senior lecturer in Global Creative and Cultural Industries, has passed at the age of 58

Caspar (aka Drjazzfunk) joined the School of Arts at SOAS in 2013 as a lecturer and quickly became a much loved and admired colleague and teacher across the university. He built SOAS’s flagship MA Global Creative and Cultural Industries programme, drawing on his intellectual flair and unparalleled industry knowledge. 

He began his academic journey at the University of Sussex, where he graduated with a first in BA American Studies (Literature) in 1991, while spending some of that time learning about Black feminist literature at UC Santa Cruz. Caspar then studied Media and Communications at Goldsmiths, earning himself an MA in 1997 and a PhD in 2007.

Caspar will be hugely missed by the SOAS community ... He was an inspiring and devoted teacher and a very kind, generous, and supportive colleague.

Professor Lindiwe Dovey, who worked closely with Caspar at SOAS, said: "Caspar will be hugely missed by the SOAS community that he contributed so much to nurturing and enlivening. He was an inspiring and devoted teacher and a very kind, generous, and supportive colleague."

Caspar is survived by his life partner Sarah, and their son Saul, his mother Sandra, and many other loving family members, friends, and fans. 

Colleagues and former students have written an obituary remembering his life and extraordinary contribution to SOAS. If you would like to share your memories of Caspar, please visit the dedicated tribute page. 

An in memoriam event will be organised at SOAS later this year.

Image courtesy of Sarah Tuffin