Elemér Hankiss is a Hungarian sociologist.

He was born in the Eastern Hungarian town of Debrecen, where his father was a professor of literature.

He received his university degree in French and English languages from Budapest University, where he later graduated with a PhD.

He has written extensively on values system in Hungary and Central Europe, as well as on global civilisation. His concept of Second Society has been much cited in East European Studies.

He has been a professor at Stanford University, the Bruges and Florence University Institutes as well as the Central European University.