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Professor Deborah Cameron (1958-2026)
Worcester College is deeply saddened to learn of the death of Fellow Emerita Professor Deborah Cameron.
Professor Cameron held the post of Rupert Murdoch Professor of Language & Communication at Worcester from 2004-23.
Debbie’s research and ideas were foundational in the fields of sociolinguistics, linguistic anthropology, feminist theory and discourse studies. As her work examined the politics of speech, media and the construction of gender, her books captured the public’s interest throughout her career. These included, among many others, The Myth of Mars and Venus, Verbal Hygiene, The Feminist Critique of Language, and most recently The Rise of Dogwhistle Politics – published in November 2025.
At Worcester, Debbie will be remembered for her deep commitment to her students and her research. Alongside this, her active engagement with the wider public – through broadcast, print and social media – made invaluable contributions to British public understanding.
A major loss.
Man, what a week. I just learned that one of my profs from my master’s just died; he was also my major professor’s husband, so I interacted with him a lot. They have visited my home, and are friends. The same day, I learned my major professor from my Ph.D. died.
I can’t handle much more! (And I have The Myth of Mars and Venus. Mars and Venus are one of my least favorite tropes in sexist mythology.)
Ugh, sympathies.