David Ernest Apter (December 18, 1924 – May 4, 2010) was an American political scientist and sociologist.
He was Henry J. Heinz Professor of Comparative Political and Social Development and senior research scientist at Yale University.
He did field research on development, democratization and political violence in Africa, Latin America, Japan (Sanrizuka Struggle etc.
In 2006 he was the first recipient of the Foundation Mattei Dogan prize for contributions to Interdisciplinary research.
[2] Apter died in his home in North Haven, Connecticut, from complications due to cancer on May 4, 2010.