John Michael Cohen, a fellow of the Harvard Institute for International Development since 1979, died peacefully at his home in Gloucester on Dec. 24 after a long battle with cancer. He was 58.

Cohen wrote and taught extensively on public administration in the developing world and served as an adviser to countries in Africa and the Middle East.

From 1992 to 1997 he was chair of the Fellows of the Institute and was also a lecturer at the Kennedy School of Government. He headed advisory missions to the government of Kenya for 10 years between 1980 and 1992 and was also an adviser to the governments of Ethiopia, North Yemen, and the Sudan, among other countries.

"John's remarkable knowledge about capacity building, development projects, and governance in Africa combined with his enthusiasm, courage, candor, and sense of humor inspired us all, and we will miss him greatly," said Jeffrey Sachs, the Galen L. Stone Professor of International Trade and director of HIID.

In the mid-1960s, Cohen served in the Peace Corps in Ethiopia and later taught for several years at Cornell University. He was the author of more than 50 books, book chapters, and journal articles. His last book, co-authored with Stephen B. Peterson, was Administrative Decentralization--Strategies for Developing Countries, which was commissioned by the United Nations and will be published in 1998.

Born and raised in Denver, Colo., he received a B.A. and a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a J.D. from the University of Michigan. He was an expert skier, squash player, and an accomplished painter.

He is survived by his wife, Robin Paine; his daughters, Anne and Caroline; their mother and Cohen's former wife, Constance Callaway Cohen; and brothers Phillip G. Cohen of Houston and Steven J. Cohen of Englewood, Colo.

At his request, Cohen's ashes will be scattered in the sea off Singing Beach, Manchester-by-the-Sea, where he and his wife resided prior to moving to Gloucester. Donations in his memory may be sent to the Hospice of the North Shore, 10 Elm St., Danvers, MA 01923.