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Bellesiles Has "No Class"
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"...[N]umerous scholars and researchers began questioning Bellesiles's
research and conclusions almost the moment his work hit the shelves of
book stores..." |
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Michael
Bellesiles |
Emory University recently announced controversial History Professor
Michael Bellesiles has been placed on paid leave, and he will not be
allowed to instruct classes this fall. Bellesiles, once a darling of
the anti-gun community, has been the subject of mounting criticism ever
since his book, Arming America: The Origins of a National Gun Culture,
attempted to promulgate the novel notion that the possession of firearms
by responsible, law-abiding citizens was not widespread in early
America.
Bellesiles's book received high praise from gun-ban extremists
and the anti-gun media (the New York Times actually gave the book praise
before it was ever released) for trying to "prove" that most Americans
around the time of our country's formation did not own firearms.
But numerous scholars and researchers began questioning Bellesiles's
research and conclusions almost the moment his work hit the shelves of
book stores in 2000. Thus far, the author's defense has been a mixed
bag of claims that he lost his notes, his office was flooded, can't
remember where he did his "research," his website was "hacked"for the
purpose of "altering and deleting material," and his critics are
politically or ideologically motivated.
As accusations mounted that Bellesiles was guilty of research
misconduct, incompetency, and massive misrepresentation, Emory
University began to take action.
First, the Atlanta private school
ordered the historian to defend his work late last year. In February of
this year, Emory announced its own investigation of Bellesiles and his
"research." In April, the school said it had completed its internal
investigation, and "concluded that further investigation would be
warranted by an independent committee of distinguished scholars."
And
while the current investigation was originally supposed to be concluded
by September, the recent announcement about Bellesiles's paid leave also
stated the investigation is "continuing," and "Professor Bellesiles and
the university have agreed that the results of the university's inquiry
will be made public when the inquiry is completed."
We will continue to follow the trials and tribulations of Professor
Bellesiles with great interest, but perhaps some of his biggest fans
have noticed vultures circling over his career and credibility. Even
the gun-ban lobby formerly known as HCI seems to have abandoned
Bellesiles, and has apparently pulled any mention of his book or his
"research" from its website.
Related Stories...
More About The Gun-Ban Lobby at Work
Bellesiles "Responds" to Critics (Nov 2001)
Bellesiles Ordered To Respond To Critics (Oct 2001)
Columbia University Set to Honor Controversial Researcher (Apr 2001)
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