Ivan Illich

Ivan Illich (1926–2002) studied natural sciences, philosophy, and theology, earned a doctorate in Salzburg, and was ordained a priest at the Vatican. He worked as a pastor in New York’s slums and in 1961 founded the Center of Intercultural Formation in New York, which developed into the Centro Intercultural de Documentación (CIDOC) in Cuernavaca, Mexico. Following conflicts with the Vatican, he left the priesthood. He subsequently taught at universities in the United States, Germany, and other countries. His critical writings on modern civilization and his essays were translated into numerous languages.