Eric Monkkonen, a distinguished history and public policy
professor at UCLA since 1976, died May 30 after a 10-year struggle
with cancer. He was 62.
Monkkonen specialized in the study of urban crime, though he
also had interest in the study of urban finance and local
government.
Before he died, Monkkonen could be found serving a joint
appointment in the history department and the school of public
policy, where for years he pushed for the development of an urban
studies major. An urban studies minor was eventually
established.
His latest work, Murder in New York City, received positive
reviews for the exhaustive research put into it. The book deals
with the 19th century and homicide, examining the effects of
migration, the Civil War, urban growth and other social shifts on
homicide.
Monkkonen was the president of the Urban History Association, an
organization of scholars from all over the world devoted to the
research of cities, in 1998.
He also served as president of the Social Science History
Association and as a member of the National Consortium for Violence
Research.
Monkkonen’s arrival at UCLA marked the beginning of a
friendship with Gary Nash, professor emeritus in history and
director of the National Center for History in the Schools, that
would last until Monkkonen’s death.
“I was on the search committee that brought him here and I
have been a close colleague ever since,” Nash said. “He
stood out among a large number of candidates. And we were right. We
made the right choice.”
Through annual ski trips and working together in the history
department, Nash said he grew to know Monkkonen very well and
considered him a close friend.
“Eric was a man of no pretense, no nonsense, just common
sense and uncommon sensitivity,” he said. “It’s a
great loss to the department and to the university
committee.”
Ronald Mellor, a history professor, also came to UCLA in 1976
along with Monkkonen. He said they have been close friends ever
since.
“He was a very close friend of mine and I feel a great
empty space,” he said.
Mellor said one of Monkkonen’s greatest skills was his
ability to make the study of crime relevant to the undergraduate
and graduate students he worked with by connecting the studies to
the surrounding communities.
“He did this very hard-nosed, quantitative research and he
also had the ability to get students involved in something
more,” he said. “It was admirable.”
Monkkonen was born and grew up in Duluth, Minnesota. He enjoyed
spending time outdoors and creating things like boats and cars. He
received a bachelor of arts degree in English from the University
of Minnesota before studying history and social science in graduate
school.
“He was proud of being a Midwesterner, thinking that they
are nicer people than some of us that come from the coast,”
Mellor said.
Sanford Jacoby, professor of management, history, and public
policy was also a close friend of Monkkonen.
A deep concern and care for students, colleagues and new
professors was one of the most interesting things about Monkkonen,
Jacoby said.
“Even in the last days of his illness he was involved in
the department, participating in meetings by speakerphone from his
sickbed because he cared,” he said.
Mellor said he admired Monkkonen’s dedication to the
university and his students.
“He is just one of those people that makes me proud of
being an academic at UCLA because he was a great scholar, a
distinguished scholar,” he said.
Monkkonen is survived by his wife, Judith, and two sons, Pentti
and Paavo, both UCLA alumni.
A memorial for Monkkonen will be held on Thursday, June 16, from
3 to 5 p.m. in the California Room at the UCLA Faculty Center.
The Monkkonen family requested that gifts be made to the Eric
Monkkonen Fund for American History. Contact Teofilo Ruiz, the
chair of the history department at UCLA for information on how to
donate.