In 1970 my father, John Rex, who has died aged 86, founded the sociology department at the University of Warwick, where he was research professor on ethnic relations from 1984 until 1990 (latterly emeritus). He was best known for his influential work on race relations.
He was born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, and, after going to Grey high school in the city, he joined the Royal Navy during the second world war. It was while serving alongside black Africans that he first became acutely aware of the injustices of apartheid. On returning to South Africa he started studying to be a Presbyterian minister but switched to sociology and philosophy. After completing his degree he went to work in a mission school in the former Rhodesia. He left after having been labelled an "undesirable", moved to Britain to teach extramural studies in Yorkshire and he completed a PhD at Leeds University.
He worked at the universities of Leeds (1949-62); Birmingham (1962-64); Durham (1964-70); Warwick (1970-79 and 1984-90); Aston (1979-84); Toronto (1974-75); Cape Town (1991); and New York (1996). From 1970, he lived in Leamington, Warwickshire. He was a member of the Unesco international experts' committee on racism and race prejudice (1967) and president of the International Sociological Association's research committee on racial and ethnic minorities (1974-82). Last year, he received a lifetime achievement award from the British Sociological Association.
His books include Key Problems of Sociological Theory (1964), Race Relations in Sociological Theory (1970) and Race and Ethnicity (1986). In 1967, with Robert Moore, he produced the study Race, Community and Conflict: A Study of Sparkbrook, which examined the possible role of the housing shortages in Birmingham in the rise of racial conflict.
A keen follower of cricket and football, he held a season ticket at Coventry City for many years.
John is survived by his wife, Margaret; four children, Kate, Helen, David and me; and four grandchildren, Douglas, Arran, Ben and Tommy.