Samuel P. Huntington Dies at Age 81

Political scientist Samuel P. Huntington died on December 24.

Samuel P. Huntington

Political scientist Samuel P. Huntington, Ph.D. ’51, the Weatherhead University Professor emeritus, died December 24, at age 81, on Martha's Vineyard. He retired from teaching in 2007, after 58 years of service at Harvard, according to the official University news release on his life and career.

Huntington was best known for his views on the importance of cultural identities and affiliations in shaping relations between and among states and nations--an argument popularly summarized by his vivid phrase, "the clash of civilizations," first spelled out in a 1993 journal article and then expanded upon in a internationally best-selling book published in 1996.

Related topics

You might also like

FAS Cuts Science Ph.D. Admissions By Half

Backing off plans for more drastic reductions, the division still faces a long-term deficit.

Harvard Divinity School Sets New Priorities

After two years of turmoil, Dean Marla Frederick describes a more pluralistic future for the institution’s culture and curriculum.

From Jellyfish to Digital Hearts

How Harvard researchers are helping to build a virtual model of the human heart

Most popular

The Life of a Harvard Spy

Richard Skeffington Welch’s illustrious—and clandestine—career in the CIA

This Harvard Scientist Is Changing the Future of Genetic Diseases

David Liu has pioneered breakthroughs in gene editing, creating new therapies that may lead to cures.

What Trump Means for John Roberts’s Legacy

Executive power is on the docket at the Supreme Court.

Explore More From Current Issue

Map showing Uralic populations in Eurasia, highlighting regional distribution and historical sites.

The Origins of Europe’s Most Mysterious Languages

A small group of Siberian hunter-gatherers changed the way millions of Europeans speak today.

A vibrant composition of flowers, a bird, and butterflies with a distant manor under a moody sky.

Rachel Ruysch’s Lush (Still) Life

Now on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, a Dutch painter’s art proved a treasure trove for scientists.

Students in purple jackets seated on chairs, facing away in a grassy area.

A New Prescription for Youth Mental Health

Kenyan entrepreneur Tom Osborn ’20 reimagines care for a global crisis.