Career Samuel J. Eldersveld

eldersveld memorial plaque, st. andrews episcopal church

eldersveld had long , distinguished career political scientist , professor. spent of career professor of political science @ university of michigan, , professor emeritus @ institution @ time of death.

eldersveld elected mayor of ann arbor, michigan democrat in 1957. ran against incumbent republican mayor william e. brown, jr. , independent candidate dominick a. devarti, had lost 1957 republican primary brown. mayor william e. brown, jr., had served unprecedented twelve consecutive years in office, , eldersveld quashed brown s bid seventh term in mayor s post. eldersveld served 1 two-year term mayor, decided not run reelection in 1959, , returned professorship @ university of michigan, served chair of department of political science 1964 1970.

in 1965 book political parties: behavioral analysis, won american political science association s prestigious woodrow wilson foundation award (sponsored princeton university) best book on politics , government in 1964. subsequent research included comparative study of political party systems in netherlands , india, in conducted field research in collaboration researchers countries. conducted extensive research in people s republic of china, leading publication of support economic , political change in chinese countryside (1996), again co-authored researchers country under study.

the american political science association recognized eldersveld s achievements in 1986 creating annual samuel j. eldersveld award, meant honor scholar lifetime professional work has made outstanding contribution field, , naming eldersveld first year s winner.

eldersveld died of congestive heart failure in ann arbor in march 2010. cremated , ashes interred in st. andrews episcopal church memorial cloister garden in ann arbor.