In Memory of Professor Ellu Saar: Editorial for the Commemorative Issue of STSS

Abstract

This commemorative issue of Studies of Transition States and Societies honours the memory of Ellu Saar, Professor of Sociology at the Institute of Social Studies (IISS), Tallinn University, who passed away at the age of 68, on 2nd June 2024. Prof. Saar was a foundational figure in the Estonian sociological community, whose scholarly contributions and institutional leadership broke ground in education, social stratification, and inequality discussions in post-socialist and European contexts and made Estonian sociology and society visible internationally. She worked at the IISS since its establishment in 1988 (and which later became part of Tallinn University), contributing 36 years to building and strengthening this research centre. As a long-serving editor, adviser, and supporter of this journal, her intellectual sharpness and commitment left a lasting imprint on STSS. [...]