Stevyn Colgan
Encyclopedia
Stephen Mark "Stevyn" Colgan (born August 11, 1961) is a British
writer, artist and speaker. Colgan's first book Joined-Up Thinking
was published on 3 October 2008. He is a contributor to the BBC TV series QI
and the regular QI Annuals.
. He has two younger brothers.
Infants School near Truro
, St Marys School Penzance
, St Pauls County Primary School, Penzance
, and Helston Comprehensive School, Helston
. Although accepted for an arts degree course at Cornwall Polytechnic, he chose to join the Metropolitan Police Force in 1980. In an interview, he stated that this was as the result of a bet with his father.
, Westminster
and Ealing
Borough stations as well as with Clubs and Vice, IT Training and the force's Examinations Unit. In his later career he became a training designer and a problem solving advisor where he was involved in getting the police, the community and other statutory agencies (such as local authorities, Fire Service etc.) to work together to solve long-term community disorder and crime issues.
He was awarded the Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
in 1993 and the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal in 2003. He saw active service during many of the public disorders of the 1980s including the Miners' Strike, the riots in Brixton
, Southall
and Broadwater Farm
. He was also present at many large scale public events including Live Aid
, the Notting Hill Carnival
, the visit of Pope John Paul II
and the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. He was one of the first officers on scene at the Provisional IRA bomb attack on RAF Uxbridge
in 1981 for which he received a commendation for professionalism.
Colgan was a member of the award-winning Met Police Problem Solving Unit that used business techniques and creative thinking to tackle issues that did not respond to traditional policing/enforcement methods. He is an expert on problem-oriented policing
and worked closely with the UK Home Office
and the UCL Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science. He has lectured and taught extensively throughout the UK and US and now lectures in a private capacity for Sixth Sense Training Ltd.
He retired from the police service in February 2010 after completing 30 years' service.
, Frederick Forsyth
, Roger Daltrey
, Bernard Cribbins
, George Melly
and others. The book raised money for the NSPCC
.
In 2006 he was the official artist for the Autumn National Children's Book Fair organised by Scholastic Books Ltd.
In November 2008, he illustrated several features for the QI
'F' Annual 2009.
In June 2009 he was asked to create a new mascot for the 30th anniversary of Plain English Campaign
. The character is called Ted the Shred and is headlining a global campaign to see an end to official use of gobbledegook.
He designed the 'Swandage' logo for the annual Alt Wycombe Fashion Show for photographer Mark Page (Photos With Attitude). The logo has appeared in Bizarre
magazine.
In November 2009 he provided four pages of illustrations for the 'Glossoplegia' section of the 2010 QI 'G' Annual.
In 2010 he illustrated 'My Dog's from Zog', a children's book by Terry Bergin and printed by Daisy Gili, granddaughter of Reynolds Stone
.
He was commissioned to create four new artworks for the 'Humans' episode of QI Series H, first shown on 9 October 2010 in the extended QIXL episode.
The QI 'H' Annual 2011 features eight pages of Colgan's artwork on features co-written by himself, Justin Pollard
and John Lloyd
.
In 2010/11 Faber and Faber released a compilation volume of the 'E', 'F' and 'G' Annuals in November 2010 with a brand new cover by Colgan.
He is a member of the Professional cartoonists' Organisation and the international Federation of Cartoonists' Organisations.
, Buckinghamshire
.
In 1998 Colgan, James Murphy
, Sarwat Chadda, Dan Schaffer, Jeremy Elford and Kelvin Cox attempted to launch a new independent British comics
imprint called Bigger Betty. Its purpose was to provide a platform for new British artists and writers. Despite good sales and excellent reviews, funding problems caused the imprint to fold after just one issue.
In 2001, he was a runner-up in the prestigious BBC
Travel Writing Awards organised by BBC Wildlife Magazine.
Also in 2001, he was a successful entrant to the Ottakar's
Bookshops Local History Writers' competition and had his essay, Arch Rivals, published in the Ottakar's Local History: High Wycombe Book.
In October 2008, his first major work, Joined-Up Thinking
, was published by Pan Macmillan Books. It carried cover endorsements from Stephen Fry
and from John Mitchinson
, one of the founders of Quite Interesting Ltd and co-author (with John Lloyd
) of the bestselling The Book of General Ignorance
.
During the 2009 US Election, Colgan was commissioned by the Times
newspaper to create a unique 'round' featuring the main players: Barack Obama
, John McCain
, Sarah Palin
and Joe Biden
. The Sarah Palindrome was published in the Times Online edition.
He was a writer/artist contributor to the QI
'F', 'G' and 'H' Annuals 2009-2011.
In 2010 the Cornish Language Fellowship (Kowethas an Yeth Kernewek) and the Cornish Language Board (Kesva an Taves Kernewek) published Henhwedhlow, a book of Cornish Faerie Stories written and illustrated by Colgan. The book was published in both English and Cornish language
on facing pages to aid translation. The stories are modern interpretations of traditional tales plus several brand new stories by the author. The book contains the largest existing body of modern Cornish prose.
He is currently developing three new book projects and finishing a novel.
at St Bartholemew's Hospital and the Royal London Hospital (known locally as Barts and the London and affiliated to Queen Mary University of London). He also worked closely with the training company Sixth Sense. He holds the Certificate in Education
from the University of Hertfordshire
. In 1999 he was awarded the Diploma in plain English
by Plain English Campaign
.
He states that the idea came to him when researching Frigyes Karinthy
's and Stanley Milgram
's experiments with the concept of Six Degrees of Separation
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
writer, artist and speaker. Colgan's first book Joined-Up Thinking
Joined-Up Thinking
Joined-Up Thinking is the first book by writer and artist Stevyn Colgan. It is based loosely upon the idea of Six Degrees of Separation first put forward by Frigyes Karinthy and later explored by Stanley Milgram and Richard Wiseman, in that everything and everyone in the world can be connected in...
was published on 3 October 2008. He is a contributor to the BBC TV series QI
QI
QI is a British comedy panel game television quiz show created and co-produced by John Lloyd, hosted by Stephen Fry, and featuring permanent panellist Alan Davies. Most of the questions are extremely obscure, making it unlikely that the correct answer will be given...
and the regular QI Annuals.
Family
Colgan was born on 11 August 1961. His late father was a former police officer and writer. His mother lives in CornwallCornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. He has two younger brothers.
Early life
Colgan was born in London while his father was an officer with the Metropolitan Police Force. The family returned to Cornwall in 1963. Stevyn was educated at BlackwaterBlackwater, Cornwall
Blackwater is a village in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It is situated in the parish of St Agnes between Truro and Redruth. The village lies on the old course of the A30 north of the current course which bypasses it...
Infants School near Truro
Truro
Truro is a city and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The city is the centre for administration, leisure and retail in Cornwall, with a population recorded in the 2001 census of 17,431. Truro urban statistical area, which includes parts of surrounding parishes, has a 2001 census...
, St Marys School Penzance
Penzance
Penzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London...
, St Pauls County Primary School, Penzance
Penzance
Penzance is a town, civil parish, and port in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. It is the most westerly major town in Cornwall and is approximately 75 miles west of Plymouth and 300 miles west-southwest of London...
, and Helston Comprehensive School, Helston
Helston
Helston is a town and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated at the northern end of the Lizard Peninsula approximately 12 miles east of Penzance and nine miles southwest of Falmouth. Helston is the most southerly town in the UK and is around further south than...
. Although accepted for an arts degree course at Cornwall Polytechnic, he chose to join the Metropolitan Police Force in 1980. In an interview, he stated that this was as the result of a bet with his father.
Police career
Colgan served in HillingdonHillingdon
Hillingdon is a suburban area within the London Borough of Hillingdon, situated 14.2 miles west of Charing Cross.Much of Hillingdon is represented as the Hillingdon East ward within the local authority, Hillingdon Council...
, Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
and Ealing
Ealing
Ealing is a suburban area of west London, England and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically a rural village...
Borough stations as well as with Clubs and Vice, IT Training and the force's Examinations Unit. In his later career he became a training designer and a problem solving advisor where he was involved in getting the police, the community and other statutory agencies (such as local authorities, Fire Service etc.) to work together to solve long-term community disorder and crime issues.
He was awarded the Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
The Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal is a decoration for police officers of the United Kingdom. First instituted in 1951, the 36mm medal was initially issued in cupro-nickel but modern strikings are rhodium plated....
in 1993 and the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal in 2003. He saw active service during many of the public disorders of the 1980s including the Miners' Strike, the riots in Brixton
Brixton
Brixton is a district in the London Borough of Lambeth in south London, England. It is south south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, Southall
Southall
Southall is a large suburban district of west London, England, and part of the London Borough of Ealing. It is situated west of Charing Cross. Neighbouring places include Yeading, Hayes, Hanwell, Heston, Hounslow, Greenford and Northolt...
and Broadwater Farm
Broadwater Farm
Broadwater Farm, often referred to simply as "The Farm", is an area in Tottenham, North London, straddling the River Moselle. The eastern half of the area is dominated by the Broadwater Farm Estate , an experiment in high-density social housing built in the late 1960s...
. He was also present at many large scale public events including Live Aid
Live Aid
Live Aid was a dual-venue concert that was held on 13 July 1985. The event was organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine. Billed as the "global jukebox", the event was held simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, United Kingdom ...
, the Notting Hill Carnival
Notting Hill Carnival
The Notting Hill Carnival is an annual event which since 1964 has taken place on the streets of Notting Hill, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea , London, UK each August, over two days...
, the visit of Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
and the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. He was one of the first officers on scene at the Provisional IRA bomb attack on RAF Uxbridge
RAF Uxbridge
RAF Uxbridge was a Royal Air Force station in Uxbridge within the London Borough of Hillingdon. Its grounds covered originally belonging to the Hillingdon House estate, which was purchased by the British Government in 1915, three years before the founding of the RAF...
in 1981 for which he received a commendation for professionalism.
Colgan was a member of the award-winning Met Police Problem Solving Unit that used business techniques and creative thinking to tackle issues that did not respond to traditional policing/enforcement methods. He is an expert on problem-oriented policing
Problem-oriented policing
Problem-oriented policing is an approach to policing in which discrete pieces of police business are subject to microscopic examination in hopes that...
and worked closely with the UK Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
and the UCL Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science. He has lectured and taught extensively throughout the UK and US and now lectures in a private capacity for Sixth Sense Training Ltd.
He retired from the police service in February 2010 after completing 30 years' service.
Art career
Colgan's first published illustration work was for the book I Remember: Reflections on Fishing and Childhood (Summersdale 1995) by Joe CowleyJoe Cowley
Joe Cowley is a columnist writer for the Chicago Sun-Times. Cowley, a graduate of Kent State University, served the same role for the Sun-Times sister publication, the Tinley Park, Illinois Daily Southtown, for several years before being hired by the downtown paper before the 2006 season.Cowley was...
, Frederick Forsyth
Frederick Forsyth
Frederick Forsyth, CBE is an English author and occasional political commentator. He is best known for thrillers such as The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, The Fourth Protocol, The Dogs of War, The Devil's Alternative, The Fist of God, Icon, The Veteran, Avenger, The Afghan and The Cobra.-...
, Roger Daltrey
Roger Daltrey
Roger Harry Daltrey, CBE , is an English singer and actor, best known as the founder and lead singer of English rock band The Who. He has maintained a musical career as a solo artist and has also worked in the film industry, acting in a large number of films, theatre and television roles and also...
, Bernard Cribbins
Bernard Cribbins
Bernard Cribbins, OBE is an English character actor, voice-over artist and musical comedian with a career spanning over half a century who came to prominence in films in the 1960s, has been in work consistently since his professional debut in the mid 1950s, and as of 2010 is still an active...
, George Melly
George Melly
Alan George Heywood Melly was an English jazz and blues singer, critic, writer and lecturer. From 1965 to 1973 he was a film and television critic for The Observer and lectured on art history, with an emphasis on surrealism.-Early life and career:He was born in Liverpool and was educated at Stowe...
and others. The book raised money for the NSPCC
NSPCC
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children is a United Kingdom charity campaigning and working in child protection.-History:...
.
In 2006 he was the official artist for the Autumn National Children's Book Fair organised by Scholastic Books Ltd.
In November 2008, he illustrated several features for the QI
QI
QI is a British comedy panel game television quiz show created and co-produced by John Lloyd, hosted by Stephen Fry, and featuring permanent panellist Alan Davies. Most of the questions are extremely obscure, making it unlikely that the correct answer will be given...
'F' Annual 2009.
In June 2009 he was asked to create a new mascot for the 30th anniversary of Plain English Campaign
Plain English Campaign
The Plain English Campaign is a commercial editing and training firm based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1979 by Chrissie Maher, the company positions itself as a leader in plain-language advocacy, working to persuade organisations in the UK and abroad to communicate with the public in plain...
. The character is called Ted the Shred and is headlining a global campaign to see an end to official use of gobbledegook.
He designed the 'Swandage' logo for the annual Alt Wycombe Fashion Show for photographer Mark Page (Photos With Attitude). The logo has appeared in Bizarre
Bizarre
Bizarre may refer to:*Bizarre , solo rapper as well as member of the group D12*Bizarre , Spanish rock band*Bizarre , a Canadian sketch comedy television series...
magazine.
In November 2009 he provided four pages of illustrations for the 'Glossoplegia' section of the 2010 QI 'G' Annual.
In 2010 he illustrated 'My Dog's from Zog', a children's book by Terry Bergin and printed by Daisy Gili, granddaughter of Reynolds Stone
Reynolds Stone
Alan Reynolds Stone CBE RDI was a noted English engraver, designer, typographer and painter of the 20th century.Much of his work was done in the field of printing and publishing, as a designer of typefaces, book jackets and bookplates. In 1949 he redesigned the famous clock logo of The Times...
.
He was commissioned to create four new artworks for the 'Humans' episode of QI Series H, first shown on 9 October 2010 in the extended QIXL episode.
The QI 'H' Annual 2011 features eight pages of Colgan's artwork on features co-written by himself, Justin Pollard
Justin Pollard
Justin David Pollard is a British historian, television producer and writer.-Biography:Pollard is a popular historian and screenwriter working in the field of feature films, television and print...
and John Lloyd
John Lloyd
John Lloyd may refer to:* John Lloyd Co-founder of design consultancy Lloyd Northover* John Lloyd , British tennis player* John Lloyd , former head coach to Wales national rugby union team...
.
In 2010/11 Faber and Faber released a compilation volume of the 'E', 'F' and 'G' Annuals in November 2010 with a brand new cover by Colgan.
He is a member of the Professional cartoonists' Organisation and the international Federation of Cartoonists' Organisations.
Writing career
Colgan's first break into writing came with his 1997 pantomime Beeping Slooty, which was performed by many amateur dramatics groups and schools throughout the UK. He directed the very first performances by the Totteridge Arts and Drama Society in High WycombeHigh Wycombe
High Wycombe , commonly known as Wycombe and formally called Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe until 1946,is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is west-north-west of Charing Cross in London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town...
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
.
In 1998 Colgan, James Murphy
James Murphy
James Murphy may refer to:Literature, film, art* James Vincent Murphy , translated Hitler's Mein Kampf into English* Jimmy Murphy , actor who appeared as a member of The Bowery Boys in the 1950s...
, Sarwat Chadda, Dan Schaffer, Jeremy Elford and Kelvin Cox attempted to launch a new independent British comics
Comics
Comics denotes a hybrid medium having verbal side of its vocabulary tightly tied to its visual side in order to convey narrative or information only, the latter in case of non-fiction comics, seeking synergy by using both visual and verbal side in...
imprint called Bigger Betty. Its purpose was to provide a platform for new British artists and writers. Despite good sales and excellent reviews, funding problems caused the imprint to fold after just one issue.
In 2001, he was a runner-up in the prestigious BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Travel Writing Awards organised by BBC Wildlife Magazine.
Also in 2001, he was a successful entrant to the Ottakar's
Ottakar's
Ottakar's was a chain of bookshops in the United Kingdom founded in 1987 by James Heneage. Following a takeover by the HMV Group plc in 2006, the chain was merged into the Waterstone's brand.-History:...
Bookshops Local History Writers' competition and had his essay, Arch Rivals, published in the Ottakar's Local History: High Wycombe Book.
In October 2008, his first major work, Joined-Up Thinking
Joined-Up Thinking
Joined-Up Thinking is the first book by writer and artist Stevyn Colgan. It is based loosely upon the idea of Six Degrees of Separation first put forward by Frigyes Karinthy and later explored by Stanley Milgram and Richard Wiseman, in that everything and everyone in the world can be connected in...
, was published by Pan Macmillan Books. It carried cover endorsements from Stephen Fry
Stephen Fry
Stephen John Fry is an English actor, screenwriter, author, playwright, journalist, poet, comedian, television presenter and film director, and a director of Norwich City Football Club. He first came to attention in the 1981 Cambridge Footlights Revue presentation "The Cellar Tapes", which also...
and from John Mitchinson
John Mitchinson
For the English tenor, see John Mitchinson .For the Bishop, see John Mitchinson .John Mitchinson is the head of research for the British television panel game QI, and is also the managing director of Quite Interesting Limited. He is co-writer of the QI series of books with the show's creator John...
, one of the founders of Quite Interesting Ltd and co-author (with John Lloyd
John Lloyd (writer)
John Hardress Wilfred Lloyd CBE is a British comedy writer and television producer. He is the great nephew of John Hardress Lloyd.-Early life and career:...
) of the bestselling The Book of General Ignorance
The Book of General Ignorance
The Book of General Ignorance is the first in a series of books based on the final round in the intellectual British panel game QI, written by series-creator John Lloyd and head-researcher John Mitchinson, to help spread the QI philosophy of curiosity to the reading public...
.
During the 2009 US Election, Colgan was commissioned by the Times
Times
The Times is a UK daily newspaper, the original English language newspaper titled "Times". Times may also refer to:In newspapers:*The Times , went defunct in 2005*The Times *The Times of Northwest Indiana...
newspaper to create a unique 'round' featuring the main players: Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
, John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
, Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
and Joe Biden
Joe Biden
Joseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President Barack Obama...
. The Sarah Palindrome was published in the Times Online edition.
He was a writer/artist contributor to the QI
QI
QI is a British comedy panel game television quiz show created and co-produced by John Lloyd, hosted by Stephen Fry, and featuring permanent panellist Alan Davies. Most of the questions are extremely obscure, making it unlikely that the correct answer will be given...
'F', 'G' and 'H' Annuals 2009-2011.
In 2010 the Cornish Language Fellowship (Kowethas an Yeth Kernewek) and the Cornish Language Board (Kesva an Taves Kernewek) published Henhwedhlow, a book of Cornish Faerie Stories written and illustrated by Colgan. The book was published in both English and Cornish language
Cornish language
Cornish is a Brythonic Celtic language and a recognised minority language of the United Kingdom. Along with Welsh and Breton, it is directly descended from the ancient British language spoken throughout much of Britain before the English language came to dominate...
on facing pages to aid translation. The stories are modern interpretations of traditional tales plus several brand new stories by the author. The book contains the largest existing body of modern Cornish prose.
He is currently developing three new book projects and finishing a novel.
Speaking and teaching
In recent years he was a visiting lecturer in metacognitionMetacognition
Metacognition is defined as "cognition about cognition", or "knowing about knowing." It can take many forms; it includes knowledge about when and how to use particular strategies for learning or for problem solving...
at St Bartholemew's Hospital and the Royal London Hospital (known locally as Barts and the London and affiliated to Queen Mary University of London). He also worked closely with the training company Sixth Sense. He holds the Certificate in Education
Certificate in Education
The Certificate in Education is a professional qualification for teachers in the United Kingdom. There have been two incarnations of the Cert Ed over the years.-New Cert Ed:...
from the University of Hertfordshire
University of Hertfordshire
The University of Hertfordshire is a new university based largely in Hatfield, in the county of Hertfordshire, England, from which the university takes its name. It has more than 27,500 students, over 2500 staff, with a turnover of over £181m...
. In 1999 he was awarded the Diploma in plain English
Plain English
Plain English is a generic term for communication styles that emphasise clarity, brevity and the avoidance of technical language – particularly in relation to official government communication, including laws.The intention is to write in a manner that is easily understood by the target...
by Plain English Campaign
Plain English Campaign
The Plain English Campaign is a commercial editing and training firm based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1979 by Chrissie Maher, the company positions itself as a leader in plain-language advocacy, working to persuade organisations in the UK and abroad to communicate with the public in plain...
.
Joined-Up Thinking
Joined-Up Thinking is concerned with interconnectedness. While never intended to be anything more than a light-hearted ramble through a series of connected and fascinating trivia, Colgan is keen to point out that even the most unlikely connections can be made. Each chapter of the book or Round takes the reader on a journey linking one fact to another and another until finally returning to the first fact in the chapter. He then links all of the facts in the book by way of a Great Big Joined-Up Index in which connections are shown between facts in different Rounds.He states that the idea came to him when researching Frigyes Karinthy
Frigyes Karinthy
Frigyes Karinthy was a Hungarian author, playwright, poet, journalist, and translator. He was the first proponent of the six degrees of separation concept, in his 1929 short story, Chains . Karinthy remains one of the most popular Hungarian writers...
's and Stanley Milgram
Stanley Milgram
Stanley Milgram was an American social psychologist most notable for his controversial study known as the Milgram Experiment. The study was conducted in the 1960s during Milgram's professorship at Yale...
's experiments with the concept of Six Degrees of Separation
Six degrees of separation
Six degrees of separation refers to the idea that everyone is on average approximately six steps away, by way of introduction, from any other person on Earth, so that a chain of, "a friend of a friend" statements can be made, on average, to connect any two people in six steps or fewer...
.