Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox organization The Institute for Humane Studies (IHS) is a non-profit organization that promotes the teaching and research of classical liberalism in higher education in the United States.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> IHS offers funding opportunities, programs, and events for faculty and graduate students seeking careers in academia as well as various fellowships.<ref name="Libertarianism Today by Huebert" /><ref name="The Encyclopedia of Libertarianism">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref><ref name="I Chose Liberty by Block">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Scholarship Scouting Report by Kaplan">Template:Cite book</ref>
Founded by F. A. "Baldy" Harper in 1961,<ref name="Floyd Arthur 'Baldy' Harper, RIP by Rothbard">Template:Cite news Quote: "and he moved to transfer the bulk of the Volker funds to a new Institute for Humane Studies, which would expand the Volker concept and would provide a permanent home for libertarian fellowships, scholarship, conferences, and publications."</ref> the organization later began an association with George Mason University<ref name="Koch by Bogardus" /> and in 1985<ref name="Libertarianism Today by Huebert">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Waging the War of Ideas by Blundell">Template:Cite book</ref> moved to Fairfax, Virginia. The institute is currently located at 3434 Washington Blvd. on the Arlington campus of George Mason University.<ref name="Koch by Bogardus">Template:Cite news</ref> It is partially funded by the Charles Koch Foundation.<ref name="CPIcourse" />
HistoryEdit
The Institute for Humane Studies was founded in 1961 in Menlo Park, California, by F. A. Harper in order to promote peace, prosperity, and social harmony by fostering a greater understanding of human affairs and freedom.<ref name="The Encyclopedia of Libertarianism"/><ref name="The Writings of F. A. Harper by Poirot">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Ayn Rand by Gladstein and Meadowcroft">Template:Cite book</ref> Initially serving as the secretary and treasurer, Harper became the institute's president in 1966, a position he held until his death in 1973.<ref name=intro>The Writings of F. A. Harper, Volume 1: The Major Works The Writings of F. A. Harper, Volume 1: The Major Works, 1978</ref> Murray Rothbard played a key role as speaker at IHS conferences in the 1970s, promoting Austrian economics.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> On May 18, the 100th anniversary of the birth of Nobel Prize-winning economist Friedrich A. Hayek, who had been "instrumental in helping F.A. "Baldy" Harper found the Institute in 1961", IHS staff and friends gathered to honor Hayek.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Following Harper in the role of president were Louis M. Spadaro and Leonard Liggio, who served as president from 1980 to 1989.<ref name="Ethics of Liberty by Rothbard and Hoppe">Template:Cite book</ref> From 1998 to 2000 Stanford graduate David C. Nott, now with the Reason Foundation, led the organization as president.<ref name="Levine in Media Transparency">Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead link</ref> The current president and CEO, Emily Chamlee-Wright, served as provost and dean at Washington College from 2012 to 2016 and was previously the Elbert H. Neese Professor of Economics and associate dean at Beloit College.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Her predecessor, Marty Zupan, served as president and CEO from 2001 to 2016 after serving as editor of Reason magazine.<ref name="Out of the Mouths of Babes: The Infant Formula Controversy">Template:Cite book</ref>
After beginning an association with George Mason University, Liggio, Walter Grinder, and John Blundell moved the institute to Fairfax, Virginia in 1985.<ref name="Libertarianism Today by Huebert" /> The organization is currently located on the George Mason University Arlington campus, along with sister organization the Mercatus Center.<ref name="Libertarianism Today by Huebert" />
Organization and fundingEdit
The institute's board of directors includes Scott Beaulier, Christopher Coyne, Tyler Cowen, David Humphreys, Charles G. Koch (Chairman Emeritus), Brian Hooks, Art Pope (Chairman), Chris Rufer, Virgil Storr, Ryan Stowers, and Todd Zywicki.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
IHS has received funding from a number of foundations, including the Sarah Scaife Foundation, the John Templeton Foundation, the F.M. Kirby Foundation, the Marcus Foundation, the John William Pope Foundation, the Ed Uihlein Family Foundation, the Ralph Smeed Private Memorial Foundation, the Koch Family Foundations, the Searle Freedom Trust, the E.L. Craig Foundation, and the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="Libertarianism Today by Huebert" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="auto">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In March 2012, in the midst of a legal dispute between Charles Koch and the Cato Institute that caused renewed scrutiny of Koch's political philanthropy, IHS's chief financial officer told the New York Times that Koch is "a longtime and generous supporter of ours, but we're not involved as a political organization."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Charles Koch donated a total of $12.4 million to the organization from 2008 to 2012.<ref name="CPIcourse">Template:Cite news</ref> The John William Pope Foundation has donated $2.1 million to the Institute since 1986.<ref name="auto"/>
IHS fundraising appeals have been targeted to specific projects in the past. In 2011, Rand Paul signed a 10-page fundraising letter seeking gifts for the institute's Learn Liberty project, which IHS describes as a "resource for exploring the ideas of a free society."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Learn Liberty was acquired by Students for Liberty in 2019.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
ProgramsEdit
SeminarsEdit
Each summer, IHS runs several free, weekend-long summer seminars for university students from around the world. Seminars are interdisciplinary and include lectures on history, economics, philosophy, law, and political science.<ref name="Libertarianism Today by Huebert" /><ref name="American Conservatism by Frohnen">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Guard on IHS Seminars">Template:Cite news</ref> Seminar themes include the value of property rights, limited government, peace, natural rights, free trade, individual autonomy, and free markets. There are introductory and advanced seminars.<ref name="Libertarianism Today by Huebert" /> IHS also runs weekend on-campus seminars during the academic year.<ref name="Libertarianism Today by Huebert" /> IHS and Liberty Fund co-sponsor the Advanced Topics in Liberty program, which is an invitation-only, discussion-based weekend conference series.<ref name="IHS by College Central Network Services">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
For graduate students pursuing academic careers, IHS sponsors an annual research colloquium, policy research seminars and invitation-only Career Development Seminars designed to help students "land a job in academia, gain tenure, and contribute to the academic and intellectual conversation."<ref name="Libertarianism Today by Huebert" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Scholarships and grantsEdit
Each year IHS awards over $1 million in scholarships to students from universities around the world.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Through its Humane Studies Fellowship program, IHS awards up to $15,000 in scholarships to graduate students embarking on "liberty-advancing careers in ideas."<ref name="Ayn Rand by Gladstein and Meadowcroft" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Each summer, through the Summer Graduate Research Fellowship, IHS gives $5,000 stipends to young academics "to refine and complete a publishable scholarly article or thesis chapter that engages ideas within the classical liberal tradition." The IHS PhD Scholarship awards $1,500 to "students dedicated to developing, teaching, and applying the principles of a free society."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Other various grants are awarded to graduate students and junior faculty to aid in their ability to present research or interview at academic or professional conferences.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Online projectsEdit
In 2010, IHS launched LearnLiberty.org, a website producing educational videos on libertarian ideas.<ref name="Earthquake Wasn't Good for the Economy by Carden">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="LearnLiberty on The Volokh Conspiracy">Template:Cite news</ref> The site's stated goals are "to provide a starting point for conversations on important questions: What is the nature of man and society? What are the best ways to organize human society? What is the proper role for government?" Notable guest lecturers featured on Learn Liberty include David Schmidtz of the University of Arizona and Jeffrey Miron of Harvard University.<ref name="Top 3 Common Myths of Capitalism">Template:Cite news</ref>
InternshipsEdit
Each summer, for more than 20 years, IHS hosted the Charles G. Koch Summer Fellow Program. The program is now hosted by the Charles Koch Institute.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The program ran for 10 weeks, and included a paid public policy internship with two career and policy seminars. Fellows were placed at one partner think tanks and policy organizations across the United States.<ref name="Libertarianism Today by Huebert" /> IHS also ran a year-round journalism internship program that placed aspiring journalists at media companies and non-profit newsrooms, but both the journalism and policy internship programs have been discontinued.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In 2019, it was reported that John Elliott, who had directed IHS's journalism internship program from 2008 to 2013, had ties to the alt-right movement.<ref name="Gray">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="DeLong MST">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> IHS issued a statement which said "After careful review, we have uncovered no incident during his tenure at IHS in which Elliott exhibited anti-Semitic or bigoted views."<ref name="Gais">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
AwardsEdit
Each year, IHS awards an alumnus of its programs with the Charles G. Koch Outstanding IHS Alum Award. The award is given in recognition of "significant contributions to advancing liberty."Template:Citation needed Past award winners include libertarian legal theorist and law professor Randy Barnett; Kris Mauren, co-founder of the Acton Institute; law professor Todd Zywicki; Kristina Kendall, executive producer for John Stossel; political science professor John Tomasi; Scott Bullock, senior attorney at the Institute for Justice; economist Peter Boettke; John Hood, president of the John Locke Foundation; and David Schmidtz, a professor of philosophy and economics.<ref name="Koch Award Bullock">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Return of Price Controls">Template:Cite conference</ref>
ReferencesEdit
Further readingEdit
External linksEdit
- Institute for Humane Studies website
- Guide to the Institute for Humane Studies Miscellaneous Records and selected sound recordings online at the Hoover Institution Archives, Stanford University.