Ray Oldenburg

Ray Oldenburg was an American urban sociologist who is known for writing about the importance of informal public gathering places for a functioning civil society, democracy, and civic engagement. He coined the term "third place" and is the author of The Great Good Place (which was a New York Times Book Review Editor's Choice for 1989) and the 2001 Celebrating The Third Place.

Oldenburg was Professor Emeritus at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of West Florida in Pensacola. He received his B.S. in English and Social Studies from Mankato State University in 1954. He then received his M.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Minnesota in 1965 and 1968, respectively.