David Fromkin

David Henry Fromkin was born on Aug. 27, 1932, in Milwaukee to Morris Fromkin, a lawyer, and the former Selma Strelsin, the sister of Albert A. Strelsin, the industrialist and arts patron. Professor Fromkin earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago and graduated from the University of Chicago Law School. He was the author of seven books, the first of which, “The Question of Government: An Inquiry Into the Breakdown of Modern Political Systems,” was published in 1975. Professor Fromkin received the most plaudits for “A Peace to End All Peace,” which was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. In 1994 Professor Fromkin, already an accomplished author, joined Boston University, where he was director of the Center for International Relations (now part of the Pardee School of Global Studies) and taught international relations, history and law. He was the founding director of the Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Long-Range Future from 2000 to 2007. He retired as professor emeritus in 2013. He is survived by two sisters, Sari Fromkin Magaziner and Marcia Fromkin Prester.