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Amos Yoder, Borah Distinguished Professor of Political Science at the University of Idaho since 1974, was born In Falls City, Nebraska, March 2, 1921. After receiving his B.A. from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1942, he was an intern at the National Institute of Public Affairs in Washington, D.C. for one year. From 1943 to 1944 he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps in the U.S. and England, and then spent two years as an analyst with the U.S. strategic bombing survey in Germany and Japan. Following the war he completed his education, receiving his Ph.D in international relations from the University of Chicago in 1949.

He then began a 25 year career with the U.S. State Department where he served on both the German and China desks, and with embassies in Israel and Thailand, as well as in political and policy planning. During this time he also lectured part-time for one year at George Washington University, and from 1964-1965 was a visiting lecturer at the University of California, Davis.

In 1974 he was hired as Borah Distinguished Professor of Political Science at the University of Idaho, a position he held for 17 years, until his retirement in 1991. During the 1986-1987 school year he was a Fulbright Scholar at the Foreign Affairs College in Beijing, China, where he taught American Foreign Policy, American history, Comparative government, and Diplomatic conversation. His wife, Janet, taught English to mid-career officials and employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Among his teaching methods was the holding of a mock UN Security Council Meeting in which his students represented ambassadors from the various countries on the council.

Yoder was active in university governance and in civic affairs. He is a member of the American Political Science Association, Amnesty International, Idaho Political Science Association, and Pacific Northwest Political Science Association. He has written or contributed to five books and has published several scholarly papers in professional publications, as well as giving presentations at many scholarly meetings. Among his honors are his selection as a Fulbright Scholar to the Foreign Affairs College, the Robson Prize, membership in Omicron Delta Kappa, the Merit Honor Award of the Department of State, a Meritorious Civilian Service Award, War Department Commendation Ribbon for work in the U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey, and a Certificate of Excellence from the Foreign Affairs College in Beijing.