Samuel P. Huntington Dies at Age 81

Political scientist Samuel P. Huntington died on December 24.

Samuel P. Huntington

Samuel P. Huntington | Jon Chase/Harvard News Office

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

The organization said its amicus brief had not been reviewed internally.

The longtime administrator, who retired from the post in 2018, returns as the College reorganizes. 

The government also opens an investigation into financial aid awards to Chinese students.

Most popular

In her memoir All That's Unseen, Emilee Hackney explores religion, friendship, and home.

College staff whose jobs will be changed or eliminated were notified this week.

The planned opening of the Goel Center in Allston for performances will be in spring of 2027.

Explore More From Current Issue

Star-filled night sky with the Milky Way arching over a rocky silhouette.

There’s a growing movement to curb light pollution. It starts on your front porch.

Graduates in caps and gowns celebrate joyfully, raising their hands in excitement.

Conan O’Brien headlines a star-studded cast

Label showing the anatomy of a worker bee, featuring a detailed illustration.

Science and art capture the microscopic natural world.