Ruth Schachter Morgenthau (January 26, 1931 – November 4, 2006), was a professor of international politics at

Brandeis University Brandeis University () is a Private university, private research university in Waltham, Massachusetts, United States. It is located within the Greater Boston area. Founded in 1948 as a nonsectarian, non-sectarian, coeducational university, Bra ...

and an advisor to President

Jimmy Carter James Earl Carter Jr. (October 1, 1924December 29, 2024) was an American politician and humanitarian who served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party ...

on rural development in poor countries.

Biography

She was born in

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

, on January 26, 1931, as Ruth Schachter. Her parents, Osias Schachter and Mizia (Kramer) Schachter, owned a textile importing company until they fled from the

Nazis Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...

in 1940. She graduated from

Barnard College Barnard College is a Private college, private Women's colleges in the United States, women's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college affiliated with Columbia University in New York City. It was founded in 1889 by a grou ...

in 1952, then attended the

Institut d'Études Politiques An institute is an organizational body created for a certain purpose. They are often research organisations (research institutes) created to do research on specific topics, or can also be a professional body. In some countries, institutes ca ...

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

as a

Fulbright The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States cultural exchange programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people ...

scholar. In 1958, she received a doctorate in politics from

Oxford Oxford () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and non-metropolitan district in Oxfordshire, England, of which it is the county town. The city is home to the University of Oxford, the List of oldest universities in continuou ...

. She was a member of the

United States Mission to the United Nations The United States Mission to the United Nations (USUN) serves as the United States delegation to the United Nations. USUN is responsible for carrying out the nation's participation in the world body. In 1947, the United States Mission was created ...

, and in 1988 ran unsuccessfully as a Democratic candidate for Congress in

Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...

. She was an advocate of ''bottom-up'' aid to farmers and villagers in the third world and was a mentor to Nancy Hafkin who brought the internet connectivity to Africa. Ruth married to

Henry Morgenthau Henry Morgenthau may refer to: * Henry Morgenthau Sr. (1856–1946), United States diplomat * Henry Morgenthau Jr. Henry Morgenthau Jr. (; May 11, 1891February 6, 1967) was the United States Secretary of the Treasury during most of the adminis ...

in 1962. They had two sons: Henry (Ben) Morgenthau (born 1964) and

cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the recording of a film, television production, music video or other live-action piece. The cinematographer is the chief of the camera ...

Kramer Morgenthau Kramer Morgenthau, A.S.C. (born June 6, 1966), is an American cinematographer known for his expertise as a visual storyteller in both television and film. The six-time Emmy nominee was director of photography for television projects such as HBO' ...

(born 1966); and a daughter, Sarah Elinor Morgenthau Wessel (born 1963).Morgenthau Family Tree
; retrieved October 3, 2015 She died on November 4, 2006, aged 75, in

Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

Awards

In 1964, she wrote ''Political Parties in French-Speaking West Africa'', which won the 1965

Herskovitz Prize The ASA Best Book Prize, formerly known as the Herskovits Prize (Melville J. Herskovits Prize), is an annual prize given by the African Studies Association to the best scholarly work (including translations) on Africa published in English in the pr ...

References

External links

Papers of Ruth S. Morgenthau, 1925-2006 (inclusive), 1963-2000 (bulk): A Finding Aid.Schlesinger Library
Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University. {{DEFAULTSORT:Morgenthau, Ruth 1931 births 2006 deaths Emigrants from Austria after the Anschluss Austrian emigrants to the United States American political consultants Barnard College alumni École nationale d'administration alumni Lehman family

Ruth Ruth (or its variants) may refer to: Places France * Château de Ruthie, castle in the commune of Aussurucq in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département of France Switzerland * Ruth, a hamlet in Cologny United States * Ruth, Alabama * Ruth, Ark ...

Alumni of Nuffield College, Oxford ASA Best Book Prize winners