Roger D. Masters

1933 - 2023

Roger D. Masters

Hanover, NH - Roger D. Masters, a longtime Professor of Government at Dartmouth College, passed away peacefully on June 22nd 2023 at the Jack Byrne Center in Hanover, shortly after his 90th birthday.

Roger graduated from Harvard College in 1955 and, after two years of military service, received his PhD in 1961 from the University of Chicago. He taught at Yale before moving to Dartmouth in 1967 and retired in 1998 as the Nelson A. Rockefeller Professor of Government Emeritus. After retiring, Roger remained active with his most recent publication appearing this year in a book entitled Biopolitics at 50 Years, celebrating a half-century of research in the field he helped create.

Roger was known for work in political philosophy, with numerous publications on how societies are shaped by our understanding of the natural world. His books include The Political Philosophy of Rousseau (1968, reprinted 2015), The Nature of Politics (1989), Primate Politics (1991), and Machiavelli, Leonardo and the Science of Power (1996). His contributions included early experiments in political communication as well as studies of how environmental factors affect human behavior.

Roger's professional life mixed teaching and scholarly work with civic engagement, starting with successful efforts to preserve East Rock Park as chair of the Save-the-Park committee in New Haven CT (1964-66), two years as the Cultural Attaché for the U.S. embassy in Paris (1969-70), and consulting for the Office of Net Assessment in the Pentagon (1991-97).

Much of Roger's personal life was driven by family and adventure. He and his first wife Judith R. Bush shared an interest in France, where they spent 1958-59 in Paris, and subsequently spent sabbatical years with their children in or near Arles in 1964-65, 1967-68 and 1976-77. Their home in Etna NH featured a large vegetable garden, backyard chickens, and numerous woodworking projects. The family enjoyed frequent hikes, skiing and travel in both the U.S. and France. His first marriage ended in divorce, and in 1984 Roger married Suzanne Putnam with whom he lived in South Woodstock VT. After her death in 2005, he lived at The Greens in Hanover where he was part of a vibrant community of friends and neighbors. Known for his sharp intellect, sense of humor, and daily walks along Lyme Road, Roger was a beloved fixture in the Upper Valley and the Dartmouth community.

Roger is survived by his three children (Seth, William and Kathy) as well as four grandchildren (Nina, Julia, Zoe, and Beatrice).

A funeral service will be held at the Roth Center for Jewish Life, 5 Occam Ridge in Hanover, NH, on Sunday July 9, 2023 at 11AM, followed by a reception for friends and family.

Those wishing to make a gift in Roger's honor may donate to Welcoming NH and the MIRA Coalition (miracoalition.org), reflecting Roger's keen interest in supporting immigrants and refugees and his own family's immigrant past.