Donald N. Levine
Donald Nathan Levine (June 16, 1931 – April 4, 2015) was an American sociologist, educator, social theorist and writer at the University of Chicago, where he served as Dean of the College. Within sociology, he is perhaps best known for his work in sociological theory and his translations and interpretations of Georg Simmel's classical texts into English, which led to a resurgence of interest in Simmel's work in the discipline. He was also a central figure in Ethiopian Studies. Biography Levine was born in New Castle, Pennsylvania in 1931. He attended the University of Chicago. There, he earned a BA in 1950, MA in 1954, and PhD in 1957. His intellectual development was greatly shaped by the teachers and curriculum of the "Hutchins College" at Chicago. As a graduate student, Levine's mentors included Robert Redfield and Richard McKeon. He also spent a formative year in Germany in 1952–1953 as the University's first exchange student at the Goethe University of Frankfurt. Except for five years abroad, Levine lived in Chicago ever since receiving his doctorate in Sociology. His dissertation focused on a comparison of the works of Georg Simmel and Talcott Parsons. During his postdoctoral fellowship, he spent three years in