Professor Mary Douglas receives DBE

Professor Douglas was awarded the honour of Dame of the Order of the British Empire in the 2007 New Year's list for services to anthropology. It recognises her long career as one of the world's most eminent and most cited social anthropologists. Her interpretation of the book of Leviticus and her role in creating the cultural theory of risk are among the best-known aspects of her work. She is also a Professor Emerita and an Honorary Fellow of UCL, and a former Professor of Social Anthropology at the university.

Professor Douglas's enduring standing in her field was demonstrated by the full house at the UCL Cruciform Building in March 2007 for her lecture 'Seeing Everything in Black and White: the origins of sectarian violence and the problems of small groups'.