Frank Ellis (lecturer) explained
Frank Ellis is an author and former lecturer in Russian and Slavonic Studies at the University of Leeds who was suspended for racism.[1]
Life
Before entering academia, Ellis served in the Parachute Regiment and the Special Air Service. Prior to his appointment at Leeds University he taught at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.[2]
In 2000, Ellis was criticised after making plans to attend a conference hosted by American Renaissance, where he would deliver a speech attacking the findings of the inquiry into the murder of Stephen Lawrence (the "Macpherson Report"),[1] under the title "Racial Hysteria in Britain". Ellis had written for white supremacist magazine American Renaissance before the conference, and continued writing for it after. He subsequently published, in early 2001, his book The Macpherson Report – Anti-Racist Hysteria and the Sovietisation of Britain, with a preface by Antony Flew.[3]
On 24 February 2006, a contributor to the university newspaper Leeds Student, Matt Kennard, interviewed Ellis during which the academic expressed his support for claims in The Bell Curve by Richard Herrnstein and Charles Murray that racial differences in average intelligence have genetic causes.[4] The Leeds Student also published an article by Ellis, "Time to face the truth about Multiculturalism",[5] in which he described the Parekh Report as "a very nasty anti-white tract". Ellis and Kennard were then interviewed together on BBC Radio 4's Today programme.[6] Ellis's comments were widely condemned, particularly in the light of his endorsement of the British National Party.[7] [8] A campaign was launched by Hanif Leylabi, President of the Unite Against Fascism organisation, which called upon the university to sack Ellis. The story received coverage in The Observer, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, Times Higher Education and various other national newspapers and radio stations as well as national and local television services. A statement was released by Leeds University Union calling for his dismissal. Leeds University condemned Ellis' views as "abhorrent".[7]
Ellis was subsequently suspended by the Vice-Chancellor, Michael Arthur, pending disciplinary proceedings.[7] The university issued a media release stating that it was investigating an alleged breach of its diversity policy. It also said Ellis's views were wholly at odds with the university's values, he had jeopardised the university's obligations under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, and that he had not apologised for his remarks.[9] Ellis took early retirement in June 2006, pre-empting the outcome of the disciplinary action.[10]
Ellis addressed the Enoch Powell Centenary Dinner[11] of the far-right Traditional Britain Group in 2012[12] on the subject of "Liberal Totalitarianism".[13]
Selected publications
- Race, Marxism and the "Deconstruction" of the United Kingdom. Journal of Social, Political and Economic Studies, Vol 26, No 4, pp. 691–718 (Winter 2001). http://www.jspes.org/winter2001_ellis.html
- Political Correctness and the Theoretical Struggle: From Lenin and Mao to Marcus and Foucault. Maxim Institute, Auckland, 2004.
- Time to face the truth about Multiculturalism. Leeds Student, 2006. Time to face the truth about Multiculturalism
On Russia
- Vasily Grossman: The Genesis and Evolution of a Russian Heretic (1994)[14]
- From Glasnost to the Internet: Russia's New Infosphere (Palgrave MacMillan, 1998).[15]
- The Stalingrad Cauldron: Inside the Encirclement and Destruction of the 6th Army (University Press of Kansas, 2013)[16]
See also
Notes and References
- News: Leeds don to attack Lawrence findings . 2000-03-02. Stuart Millar. The Guardian.
- Introduction in the book The Macpherson Report, 2001, p.2.
- Book: Ellis, Frank. The Macpherson Report: Anti-racist Hysteria and the Sovietization of the United Kingdom. Derek Andrew. Turner. 1 April 2001. Right Now Press Ltd. .
- Web site: 'Whiter than white?' Frank Ellis, ex-Leeds University lecturer, interview write-up. Matt Kennard.
- Web site: Time to face the truth about Multiculturalism. www.honestthinking.org.
- Web site: BBC - Radio 4 - Today Programme Listen Again. www.bbc.co.uk.
- News: University suspends lecturer in racism row who praised BNP. Matthew Taylor. The Guardian. 24 March 2006.
- News: The Times. 24 March 2006 . Lecturer is suspended for 'racist' IQ claims . Tony Halpin . bot: unknown . https://web.archive.org/web/20110727194554/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/student/news/article694940.ece . 2011-07-27 .
- News: Racism row lecturer is suspended . BBC News . 23 March 2006 . 7 May 2010.
- News: Lecturer at centre of race row takes early retirement. Alexandra Smith. The Guardian. 12 July 2006.
- News: Usborne. Simon. Revealed: The third man in THAT Traditional Britain photo - and what he says about the new loony right. 2 October 2017. The Independent. 16 Aug 2013.
- Web site: Familiar obsessions - Searchlight Magazine. https://web.archive.org/web/20120513025238/http://searchlightmagazine.com/archive/familiar-obsessions. dead. 13 May 2012. 13 May 2012. 19 October 2018.
- Web site: Traditional Britain Group - Frank Ellis - Liberal Totalitarianism. BritishActivism. 29 June 2012. 19 October 2018. YouTube.
- Book: Vasiliy Grossman: The Genesis and Evolution of a Russian Heretic. 14 June 1994. Berg Publishers. .
- Book: From Glasnost to the Internet: Russia's New Infosphere. Ellis, Frank. Palgrave MacM . 9780333670958. Abebooks.co.uk. 9 December 1998. 19 October 2018.
- Book: The Stalingrad Cauldron: Inside the Encirclement and Destruction of the 6th Army (Modern War Studies) . Frank Ellis. University Press of Kansas. 9780700619016. Hardcover, 1st. Abebooks.co.uk. 2013 . 19 October 2018.