The “Inquiry into the History of Eugenics at UCL,” also referred to as the “Eugenics Inquiry,” and the “Eugenics Investigation” operated at University College London (UCL) between November 2018 and February 2020. It was a university committee appointed by UCL President and Provost, Professor Michael Arthur. It held three town meetings: March 2019, October 2019, and February 2020.
I served on this committee. I support the MORE group recommendations and reject the chair’s report as the personal option of herself and a few others on the panel. These posts support my contributions.
Terms of reference dated 26 November 2018.
1. To examine the historical role of UCL in the study and teaching of eugenics using oral, archived and other necessary pieces of evidence, including, but not limited to collections of cultural artefacts and human remains and a tour of the UCL Estate.
2. To examine the current status of the teaching and study of eugenics at UCL
3. To examine the current status of UCL’s benefit from any financial instruments linked to the study and teaching of eugenics
4. To provide a recommendation as to what UCL’s current position should be on the teaching, dissemination and study of eugenics and its inherent link to modern day racism
5. To provide an intellectual, moral and business based recommendation to UCL on how to manage its current naming of spaces and buildings after prominent eugenicists, including the option of renaming such spaces. This recommendation will be considered through the criteria and process established following the report of the Task and Finish Group on Naming of Spaces at UCL.
6. To provide an agreed written report for the President and Provost of UCL, containing findings, recommendations and advice on any issues pertaining to the core subject matter by the end of July 2019.
The Inquiry into the History of Eugenics at UCL presented the chair’s individual views as a report to UCL President and Provost Professor Michael Arthur in February 2020. He received that report, but he also received More…
I served on UCL’s Inquiry into the History of Eugenics. I withdrew my support for the chair’s report, which is published today. Together with nine other colleagues also serving on this committee, I and they More…
The Inquiry into the History of Eugenics at UCL was expected to report on how we teach and study eugenics in the university. This instruction about teaching was included in our Terms of Reference: “To More…
The chair’s report from the Investigation into the History of Eugenics at UCL is published today. It did not investigate the London Conference on Intelligence (LCI). That’s odd. I thought that Inquiry was created to More…
These are recommendations from members of the Commission of Inquiry into the History of Eugenics at UCL, convened at the request of UCL Provost Michael Arthur in December 2018. The Commission was comprised of members More…
The “Inquiry into the History of Eugenics at UCL,” also referred to as the “Eugenics Inquiry,” and the “Eugenics Investigation” operated at University College London (UCL) between November 2018 and February 2020. It was a university More…
Francis Galton was a bad piece of work. His racist, nativist, supremacist views are antithetical to UCL’s vision and values. He is no role model for me. He should be no role model for you. More…
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