Prof. Richard Sennett has written about social life in cities, changes in labor, and social theory over the last five decades. His books include Families Against the City; The Hidden Injuries of Class; The Fall of Public Man; The Corrosion of Character; The Culture of the New Capitalism; The Craftsman; and Building and Dwelling.

He is the founder of the New York Institute for the Humanities and has been president of the American Council on Work. Over the last three decades, Richard has been a consultant for various United Nations entities. He is currently a senior advisor for a collaborative initiative between UN-Habitat and MIT to explore the impact of climate change in cities.  Five years ago, he created a research foundation for urban culture Theatrum Mundi whose board of trustees he now chairs.

He has received the Hegel Prize, the Spinoza Prize, an honorary doctorate from the University of Cambridge, and the Centennial Medal from Harvard University, among other awards. In 2018, Britain awarded him an OBE.