Tom Scheff, a pioneering sociologist whose groundbreaking work reshaped our understanding of emotions, mental illness, and social conflict, passed away on May 23, 2025, in Santa Barbara, California. He was 95.

Scheff spent much of his academic life at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he served as a professor in the Department of Sociology from 1963 until his retirement in 1991. As Chair of the department from 1969–70, and throughout his 28 years of service, he was known not only as a brilliant scholar, but as a deeply committed educator, mentor, and advocate for higher education reform.

Scheff’s early work challenged conventional approaches to mental illness. His seminal 1966 book, Being Mentally Ill: A Sociological Theory, was a foundational contribution to labeling theory and the sociology of mental health. In it, he argued that mental illness is often socially constructed through institutional responses to deviance, reframing how we understand psychiatric diagnoses and the lived experiences of those labeled “mentally ill.” His work inspired decades of cross-disciplinary dialogue and helped catalyze a broader recognition of the social determinants of mental health.

As one of the founders of the sociology of emotions, Scheff advanced bold theories about the central role of feelings in shaping human interaction and society. His collaborative work with Suzanne Retzinger on the shame–rage spiral offered a compelling lens for examining the roots of interpersonal conflict, violence, and even war. He extended these insights in Bloody Revenge: Emotions, Nationalism and War (2000), where he analyzed the emotional undercurrents of group identity, humiliation, and large-scale violence.

His 2006 book, Goffman Unbound: A New Paradigm for Social Science, offered a sweeping reinterpretation of Erving Goffman's legacy, urging scholars to re-center emotional dynamics and facework in sociological analysis. In later years, he continued to explore the emotional foundations of social life through cultural forms, notably in What’s Love Got to Do With It? Emotions and Relationships in Popular Songs (2011), where he used love songs as a window into society’s emotional literacy — or lack thereof.

Beyond his scholarly achievements, Tom Scheff was a passionate voice for educational transformation. Discontent with passive learning models, he envisioned a more participatory, dialogical approach to higher education that emphasized student agency, deep inquiry, and personal connection. Following the 1970 Isla Vista riots, he advocated for community-based initiatives and student self-governance, demonstrating his belief in the university as a space not only for learning, but for social change.

His influence extended far beyond campus. His ideas on emotion, shame, identity, and social repair have left a lasting mark on fields as diverse as sociology, psychology, psychiatry, conflict resolution, trauma studies, and cultural analysis. For him, emotions were not peripheral but central — the “glue” that binds societies, and the key to understanding both individual suffering and collective strife.

Tom’s intellectual rigor was matched by his generosity as a mentor and colleague. He was deeply invested in his students’ growth, always encouraging them to ask difficult questions and to pursue knowledge with integrity and curiosity.

He is survived by family, friends, former students, and colleagues across the world whose lives and work were profoundly shaped by his insights, compassion, and commitment to building a more emotionally aware and connected society.He taught us that the emotional undercurrents of human life — shame, love, pride, and grief — are not just personal, but social and political. His legacy lives on in every scholar, educator, and student who dares to look beneath the surface and ask: What holds us together? What drives us apart? And how can we begin to heal?

He will be deeply missed.