James Petras, an American sociologist and academic, died on January 17, 2026.
He was the Bartle Professor emeritus of sociology at Binghamton University in Binghamton, New York, and an adjunct professor at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Petras published widely on political issues, with a particular focus on Latin America and the Middle East, imperialism, globalization and leftist social movements.
Born in Lynn, Massachusetts, he earned degrees from Boston University and the University of California, Berkeley. He joined the sociology department at Binghamton in 1972 and was the author of more than 60 books and hundreds of articles.
James Petras (17 January 1937 – 17 January 2026) was an American sociologist and academic who was the Bartle Professor (Emeritus) of Sociology at Binghamton University in Binghamton, New York, and adjunct professor at Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. He published on political issues with particular focus on Latin America and the Middle East, imperialism, globalization, and leftist social movements.