Andrew Hacker (August 30, 1929 – April 21, 2026) was an American political scientist and public intellectual.

Andrew Hacker
Born(1929-08-30)August 30, 1929
New York City, U.S.
DiedApril 21, 2026(2026-04-21) (aged 96)
New York City, U.S.
OccupationsAcademic and political scientist
Spouse
(m. 2011)
Children1
ParentLouis M. Hacker
Academic background
EducationAmherst College
Alma materUniversity of Oxford
Princeton University
Academic work
Sub-discipline
Political scientist
InstitutionsCornell University
Queens College
Notable works
The Math Myth

Life and career

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Andrew Hacker was born in Manhattan on August 30, 1929, the older of two children.[1] He was a professor in the department of political science at Queens College in New York.[1] He did his undergraduate work at Amherst College, followed by graduate work at the University of Oxford and Princeton University, where he received his PhD degree.[1] Hacker taught at Cornell before taking his position at Queens.[1] He was the son of Louis M. Hacker.[2]

Hacker was a member of Mark Lane's Citizens’ Committee of Inquiry, and introduced Lane to Edward Jay Epstein.[3] Hacker was described by Epstein as the "initial stimulus" for his master's thesis which he later developed into his book Inquest (1966) that was critical of the Warren Commission.[4]

His book Higher Education? was written in collaboration with his wife, Claudia Dreifus.[1] In his article Is Algebra Necessary?, Hacker questioned whether mathematics is necessary, claiming "Making mathematics mandatory prevents us from discovering and developing young talent."[5]

Hacker died at a hospital in Manhattan on April 21, 2026, at the age of 96, from complications of stomach cancer.[1]

Publications

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  • Hacker, A., (1961) Political Theory: Philosophy, Ideology, Science, The Macmillan Company
  • Hacker, A., (1968) The End of the American Era. New York: Atheneum
  • Hacker, A., (1992) Two Nations: Black and White, Separate, Hostile, Unequal, Scribner. ISBN 0-7432-3824-9
  • Hacker, A., (1998) Money: Who Has How Much and Why, Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0-684-84662-4
  • Hacker, A., (2003) Mismatch: The Growing Gulf Between Women and Men. Scribner. ISBN 0-684-86252-2
  • Hacker, A. and Claudia Dreifus, (2010) Higher Education?: How Colleges Are Wasting Our Money and Failing Our Kids - and What We Can Do About It Holt, Henry & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-8050-8734-5
  • Hacker, A., (2012) "Is Algebra Necessary?", New York Times, Published July 28, 2012. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/29/opinion/sunday/is-algebra-necessary.html
  • Hacker, A., (2016) "The Math Myth: And Other STEM Delusions," The New Press. ISBN 978-1620970683
  • Hacker, A., (2020) Downfall: The Demise of a President and His Party, Skyhorse Publishing. ISBN 978-1-5107-6019-6

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 McFadden, Robert D. (April 21, 2026). "Andrew Hacker, Provocative Political Scientist, Dies at 96". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  2. Hacker, Louis M. (May 15, 1975). "Louis M. Hacker – David Horrocks" (PDF) (Interview). Interviewed by David Horrocks. Dwight D. Eisenhower Library. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 15, 2025. Retrieved April 24, 2026. My first child was born in 1929, that was my son Andrew ...
  3. Lane, Mark (1968). A Citizen's Dissent. Fawcett Crest. pp. 41–42. ASIN B00005VLU6. LCCN 68-13044. OCLC 385224.
  4. Epstein, Edward Jay (1966). Inquest; the Warren Commission and the establishment of truth. Viking Press. p. 16. ISBN 978-0670398492.
  5. Hacker, Andrew (July 28, 2012). "Opinion | Is Algebra Necessary?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 11, 2016.
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