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Marshall McLuhan: Biography, Facts and Career

Who is Marshall McLuhan? An evergreen, sourced profile: biography, key facts and career.

By the Pop Culture Files editorial team4 min read✓ Fact-checked
Marshall McLuhan
Josephine Smith via Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

Herbert Marshall McLuhan (, mə-KLOO-ən; July 21, 1911 – December 31, 1980) was a Canadian philosopher whose work is among the cornerstones of the study of media theory. Raised in Winnipeg, McLuhan studied at the University of Manitoba and the University of Cambridge. He began his teaching career as a professor of English at several universities in the United States and Canada before moving to the University of Toronto in 1946, where he remained for the rest of his life. He is known as "the father of media studies". McLuhan coined the expression "the medium is the message" (in the first chapter of his Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man), as well as the term global village. He predicted the World Wide Web almost 30 years before it was invented. He was a fixture in media discourse in the late 1960s, though his influence began to wane in the early 1970s. In the years following his death, he continued to be a controversial figure in academic circles. However, with the arrival of the Internet and the World Wide Web, interest was renewed in his work and perspectives.

Quick facts about Marshall McLuhan

  • Full name: Marshall McLuhan
  • Born: 1911-07-21
  • Nationality: Canada
  • Known as: Author
  • Wikidata ID: Q193871

Profile compiled from public Wikipedia and Wikidata data. Details can change over time.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Marshall McLuhan?

Herbert Marshall McLuhan (, mə-KLOO-ən; July 21, 1911 – December 31, 1980) was a Canadian philosopher whose work is among the cornerstones of the study of media theory.

What nationality is Marshall McLuhan?

Marshall McLuhan is Canada.

When was Marshall McLuhan born?

Marshall McLuhan was born on 1911-07-21.

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