Barry Mehler
Encyclopedia
Barry Alan Mehler is a Jewish-American
professor of humanities
at Ferris State University
who founded the Institute for the Study of Academic Racism
(ISAR). He earned his B.A.
from Yeshiva University
in 1970, his M.A.
from City College of New York
in 1972, and his Ph.D.
from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
in 1988. His dissertation was entitled, "A history of the American Eugenics Society
, 1921-1940." Mehler has been a professor at Ferris State University
in Big Rapids, Michigan
since 1988.
lifetime achievement award for Raymond B. Cattell postponed because of claims that some of his writings were 'racist'. Mehler's most cited article was written that year and examined Cattell's concept of "beyondism".
such as Glayde Whitney
have criticized Mehler for employing what they perceive as 'inflammatory' and 'inquisitional' anti-racist rhetoric in an effort to spur activism and discredit controversial scientists through the 'manipulation' of popular opinion Controversial researchers singled out for criticism by Mehler have included hereditarian psychologists, such as Cattell and Richard Lynn
. Whitney has further claimed that Mehler primarily challenges those he accuses of racism through popular rather than scientific channels, e.g. via periodicals and mass-market TV programs, such as The Geraldo Show. Roger Pearson
once accused Mehler of "activist Lysenkoism
."
. Smith and the rest of the Marion Brothers proved that they were illegally locked down due to their political activities in prison rather than misbehavior or failing to observe prison rules. Smith had been active in organizing prisoners to fight against prisoner rape. After his release from the Control Unit, Smith was again raped. He retaliated in what he claimed was a necessary defense against further assaults, and prison officials charged him with assault.
Mehler and the committee (ICFRS) supported Smith during his trial following charges of assault. They also provided a home for him after his release from federal prison in 1980.
Using the resources of the ICFRS, Smith formed the grass-roots "People Organized to Stop Rape of Imprisoned Persons" (POSRIP). Smith and Mehler did not continue working together, as Smith disappeared in the 1980s.
About 1983 Tom Cahill and Stephen Donaldson resurrected POSRIP, in the 1990s incorporating it as Just Detention International.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professor of humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
at Ferris State University
Ferris State University
Ferris State University is a public university with its main campus in Big Rapids, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1884 as the Big Rapids Industrial School by Woodbridge Nathan Ferris, an educator from New England who later served as governor of the State of Michigan and finally in the US Senate where...
who founded the Institute for the Study of Academic Racism
Institute for the Study of Academic Racism
The Institute for the Study of Academic Racism is an organization that monitors "changing intellectual trends in academic racism, biological determinism, and eugenics." ISAR states that in this capacity it "acts as a resource service for students, academics, journalists, legislators and civil...
(ISAR). He earned his B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University
Yeshiva University is a private university in New York City, with six campuses in New York and one in Israel. Founded in 1886, it is a research university ranked as 45th in the US among national universities by U.S. News & World Report in 2012...
in 1970, his M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
from City College of New York
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
in 1972, and his Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
in 1988. His dissertation was entitled, "A history of the American Eugenics Society
American Eugenics Society
The American Eugenics Society was a society established in 1922 to promote eugenics in the United States.It was the result of the Second International Conference on Eugenics . The founders included Madison Grant, Harry H. Laughlin, Irving Fisher, Henry Fairfield Osborn, and Henry Crampton...
, 1921-1940." Mehler has been a professor at Ferris State University
Ferris State University
Ferris State University is a public university with its main campus in Big Rapids, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1884 as the Big Rapids Industrial School by Woodbridge Nathan Ferris, an educator from New England who later served as governor of the State of Michigan and finally in the US Senate where...
in Big Rapids, Michigan
Big Rapids, Michigan
Big Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 10,849. It is the county seat of Mecosta County. The city is located within Big Rapids Township, but is politically independent.-Geography:...
since 1988.
Cattell controversy
In 1997 Mehler was a driving force behind a successful campaign to have an American Psychological AssociationAmerican Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. It is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 154,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. The APA...
lifetime achievement award for Raymond B. Cattell postponed because of claims that some of his writings were 'racist'. Mehler's most cited article was written that year and examined Cattell's concept of "beyondism".
Criticisms of Mehler and the ISAR
HereditariansHereditarianism
Hereditarianism is the doctrine or school of thought that heredity plays a significant role in determining human nature and character traits, such as intelligence and personality. Hereditarians believe in the power of genetics to explain human character traits and solve human social and political...
such as Glayde Whitney
Glayde Whitney
Glayde D. Whitney was a behavioral geneticist and psychology professor at Florida State University. Beyond his work into the genetics of sensory system function in mice, in his later life he supported race and intelligence research and eugenics.-Biography:Whitney was born in Montana and grew up in...
have criticized Mehler for employing what they perceive as 'inflammatory' and 'inquisitional' anti-racist rhetoric in an effort to spur activism and discredit controversial scientists through the 'manipulation' of popular opinion Controversial researchers singled out for criticism by Mehler have included hereditarian psychologists, such as Cattell and Richard Lynn
Richard Lynn
Richard Lynn is a British Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Ulster who is known for his views on racial and ethnic differences. Lynn argues that there are hereditary differences in intelligence based on race and sex....
. Whitney has further claimed that Mehler primarily challenges those he accuses of racism through popular rather than scientific channels, e.g. via periodicals and mass-market TV programs, such as The Geraldo Show. Roger Pearson
Roger Pearson
Roger Pearson is a British anthropologist, conservationist, eugenics advocate, founder of the Neo Nazi organization Northern League, and publisher of several journals.-Life and work:...
once accused Mehler of "activist Lysenkoism
Lysenkoism
Lysenkoism, or Lysenko-Michurinism, also denotes the biological inheritance principle which Trofim Lysenko subscribed to and which derive from theories of the heritability of acquired characteristics, a body of biological inheritance theory which departs from Mendelism and that Lysenko named...
."
Committee to Free Russell Smith
In his early career, in 1977 Mehler was the founder of the Committee to Free Russell Smith, later the International Committee to Free Russell Smith (ICFRS). Smith was one of the "Marion Brothers", a group of prisoners kept in long-term segregation and illegal solitary confinement in the Control Unit of the U.S. Penitentiary in Marion, IllinoisMarion, Illinois
The city of Marion is the county seat of Williamson County, Illinois. The 2010 census counted 17,193 residents, making Marion the 25th most populated city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area, in Illinois, and the second most populous city in Southern Illinois, outside of the Metro-East, behind...
. Smith and the rest of the Marion Brothers proved that they were illegally locked down due to their political activities in prison rather than misbehavior or failing to observe prison rules. Smith had been active in organizing prisoners to fight against prisoner rape. After his release from the Control Unit, Smith was again raped. He retaliated in what he claimed was a necessary defense against further assaults, and prison officials charged him with assault.
Mehler and the committee (ICFRS) supported Smith during his trial following charges of assault. They also provided a home for him after his release from federal prison in 1980.
Using the resources of the ICFRS, Smith formed the grass-roots "People Organized to Stop Rape of Imprisoned Persons" (POSRIP). Smith and Mehler did not continue working together, as Smith disappeared in the 1980s.
About 1983 Tom Cahill and Stephen Donaldson resurrected POSRIP, in the 1990s incorporating it as Just Detention International.
Selected bibliography
- Mehler, Barry. "Controlling Human Heredity: 1865 to the Present" (book review). Isis, Vol. 88, No. 2 (Jun 1997), p. 369
- Mehler, Barry. "The Rise of Statistical Thinking, 1820-1900", Journal of Interdisciplinary History, Vol. 19, No. 2 (Autumn 1988), pp. 294–296