G. William Domhoff was born in Youngstown, Ohio, on August 6, 1936, the son of George William and Helen S. (Cornet) Domhoff. He married Judy Boman, a nursery school teacher, on August 28, 1961. They had four children: Lynne, Lori, William P., and James Joel. Domhoff received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Duke University in 1958 and a Master of Arts degree from Kent State University in 1959. He finished his post-graduate studies at the University of Miami at Coral Gables, Florida, earning his doctorate in 1962.

From 1962 to 1965, Domhoff was an assistant professor of psychology at Los Angeles State College. In 1965, he accepted a position as an assistant professor at the University of California, Cowell College, Santa Cruz, where he remains currently. He became an associate professor of psychology in 1969 and a professor of psychology and sociology in 1975.

Domhoff presented his understanding of politics and power in the United States in 1967 with the...