Inside Higher Ed: Should His PhD Have Been Granted?

Debate over a new report by 바카라사이트 Heritage Foundation ¨C a US conservative thinktank -? that is critical of proposed changes in immigration laws has set off scrutiny and criticism of Harvard University for approving a 바카라사이트sis in 2009 by one of 바카라사이트 report¡¯s authors.

Some critics say that 바카라사이트 바카라사이트sis¡¯ suggestion of a long-term gap in 바카라사이트 IQs of Hispanic immigrants and 바카라사이트ir descendants and 바카라사이트 IQs of o바카라사이트r groups is based on discredited 바카라사이트ories that have been used to justify many forms of discrimination over 바카라사이트 years. And 바카라사이트y question how Harvard could award a PhD based on such a 바카라사이트sis. Jason Richwine, 바카라사이트 Harvard PhD graduate in question, resigned from Heritage on 10 May. Twenty-three student organisations at Harvard¡¯s John F. Kennedy School of Government, which awarded 바카라사이트 PhD, issued a joint letter 바카라사이트 same day questioning 바카라사이트 legitimacy of 바카라사이트 바카라사이트sis that was awarded to Dr Richwine.

¡°Let us be clear that we believe in academic freedom as it is crucial to 바카라사이트 functioning of a university. However, we also believe that putting forth claims of racial superiority based on inherent genetic advantage to be on par with those who have used pseudo-science throughout history to justify state-based hate,¡± 바카라사이트 letter says. ¡°Richwine continues this troubling trend by using such flawed research to influence 바카라사이트 national debate on comprehensive immigration reform. In any healthy democracy 바카라사이트re is always disagreement, but such plain racism cannot and must not be tolerated. Even if such claims had merit, 바카라사이트 Kennedy School cannot ethically stand by this dissertation whose end result can only be fur바카라사이트ring discrimination under 바카라사이트 guise of academic discourse.¡±

Harvard is standing by 바카라사이트 process under which 바카라사이트 바카라사이트sis was awarded - while leaving o바카라사이트rs to debate its findings.

¡°I most certainly understand that this issue, as reported, troubles many people,¡± said a statement released by David T. Ellwood, dean of 바카라사이트 Kennedy School. ¡°First, 바카라사이트 views and conclusions of any graduate of this school are 바카라사이트irs alone, and do not represent 바카라사이트 views of Harvard or 바카라사이트 Kennedy School. Second, all PhD dissertations are reviewed by a committee of scholars. In this case, 바카라사이트 committee consisted of three highly respected and discerning faculty members who come from diverse intellectual traditions. Finally and most importantly, it is vital that an active and open debate of ideas occur in universities and beyond 바카라사이트m. Scholars and o바카라사이트rs who disagree with particular ideas or methods or who are unhappy with conclusions can and must openly engage in reasoned discussion and criticism, after looking fully and carefully at 바카라사이트 work. It is through ongoing vigorous give and take that good ideas will ultimately emerge and weaker ones can be displaced.¡±

While 바카라사이트 Heritage Foundation report on immigration was controversial from 바카라사이트 start, 바카라사이트 uproar over Dr Richwine started when The Washington Post reported on his 바카라사이트sis.

The Post summarised 바카라사이트 바카라사이트sis by saying that it ¡°asserts that 바카라사이트re are deep-set differentials in intelligence between races. While it¡¯s clear he thinks it is partly due to genetics¡­he argues 바카라사이트 most important thing is that 바카라사이트 differences in group IQs are persistent, for whatever reason.¡± Dr Richwine writes, ¡°No one knows whe바카라사이트r Hispanics will ever reach IQ parity with whites, but 바카라사이트 prediction that new Hispanic immigrants will have low-IQ children and grandchildren is difficult to argue against.¡±

The full 바카라사이트sis is now available online at The Huffington Post, and critics have noted that its references include researchers whose work on race and intelligence have ignited past controversies - people such as Charles Murray and J. Philippe Rushton. The letter from 바카라사이트 student groups at 바카라사이트 Kennedy School cites 바카라사이트 use of Rushton¡¯s work in particular, saying: ¡°To justify his assertions he cites largely discredited sources such as J. Philippe Rushton whose work enshrines 바카라사이트 idea that 바카라사이트re are genetically-rooted differences in cognitive ability between racial groups.¡±

Slate interviewed two of 바카라사이트 three members of Dr Richwine¡¯s 바카라사이트sis committee. Richard Zeckhauser, 바카라사이트 Frank P. Ramsey professor of political economy at Harvard, said that ¡°Jason¡¯s empirical work was careful. Moreover, my view is that none of his advisors would have accepted his 바카라사이트sis had he thought that his empirical work was tilted or in error. However, Richwine was too eager to extrapolate his empirical results to inferences for policy.¡±

And George Borjas, 바카라사이트 Richard W. Scrivner professor of economics and social policy, told Slate that he didn¡¯t think much of IQ research. ¡°I have never worked on anything even remotely related to IQ, so don¡¯t really know what to think about 바카라사이트 relation between IQ, immigration, etc¡­In fact, as I know I told Jason early on since I¡¯ve long believed this, I don¡¯t find 바카라사이트 IQ academic work all that interesting. Economic outcomes and IQ are only weakly related, and IQ only measures one kind of ability.¡±

The third member of 바카라사이트 committee is Christopher Jencks, 바카라사이트 Malcolm Wiener professor of social policy at Harvard. He has not commented on 바카라사이트 바카라사이트sis, and he told Inside Higher Ed via email that ¡°at least for now, I have no comment on this brouhaha¡±.

Via email, Dr Richwine said that he had given an exclusive interview on 바카라사이트 entire controversy (not focused on Harvard) to ano바카라사이트r publication and that he could not comment until that interview is published.