Political scientist Donald Rothchild, who devoted his long career to working on ethnic and civil strife in the world, died Jan. 30 due to complications from lymphoma. He was 78.

Born in New York City on Aug. 11, 1928, Rothchild first developed his passion for world peace as a young teen observing World War II and the Holocaust unfold. Later, as he witnessed racial inequality as a world phenomenon, Rothchild decided to focus on Africa.

During his nearly 50-year career, Rothchild developed a reputation as a political scientist who crafted meaningful solutions to problems that societies face, focusing on civil and ethnic conflicts. Most recently, he was instrumental in helping world leaders understand how civil conflicts spread, using as examples countries and regions in Europe and Africa.

"He contributed to our knowledge of how bargaining and negotiation can help resolve conflict and how positive incentives can be used to control ethnic violence," said Miroslav Nincic, a UC Davis colleague who studies international relations.

Though Rothchild was a member of the Department of Political Science since 1965 — and still active as a teacher and researcher when most have retired — he developed an international following among policymakers and politicians through his many stints at top-level think tanks and universities.

"Don was present in Washington in a variety of ways," Nincic said. "He was a guest researcher at the Brookings Institute as well as the U.S. Institute of Peace. He was also a teacher at the School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University, where policy practitioners from all over the world come to study."

Throughout his career, Rothchild was awarded Fulbrights and Rockefeller grants to join the faculties at various African universities: the University of Nairobi; University of Ghana; Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda; and the University of Zambia. He also participated in United Nations conferences and was on the editorial boards of several academic journals.

Power-sharing, peace-making

Named a University of California Distinguished Professor in 2003, Rothchild received numerous honors and awards, ranging from being named a peace fellow in the Jennings Randolph Program for International Peace for the U.S. Institute of Peace to being awarded a Carnegie Foundation of New York grant to set up workshops on power-sharing and peacemaking. He was named the 1996-97 UC Davis Faculty Research Lecturer.

Rothchild was a prolific author and editor, with more than 20 books listed on his curriculum vitae, many dealing with managing ethnic conflicts and civil wars in Africa. He most recently co-edited the 2006 book Africa-US Relations: Strategic Encounters.

Rothchild graduated with a political science degree from Kenyon College in Ohio in 1949 and then entered the military for two years during the Korean conflict. He met his wife, Edith, on a blind date while stationed near Norfolk, Va.

After leaving the military, the couple moved to UC Berkeley where Rothchild obtained his master's degree in 1954, followed by a doctorate from Johns Hopkins University in 1958.

Service, donations

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Feb. 10 at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 27074 Patwin Road, in Davis. A virtual guestbook is available through Wiscombe's Davis Funeral Chapel.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions be made to a scholarship fund in Rothchild's honor. Checks should be made out to UC Regents, with a notation that the donation is for the Rothchild scholarship, and sent to Micki Eagle, Department of Political Science, UC Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis 95616.