John McGinnis

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John McGinnis

John Oldham McGinnis is a professor at Northwestern University School of Law and author of over 90 academic and popular articles and essays. His popular writings have most often been published in The Wall Street Journal, National Review, and Policy Review.

McGinnis was described as an "evolutionary conservative" along with Charles Murray and Steve Sailer in a 1999 National Review cover story by John O'Sullivan, referring to his writing dealing with the science of human nature and "the conservative lessons of evolution."[1]

McGinnis earned a J.D. (Doctor of Law) from Harvard University in 1983, an M.A. from Balliol College, Oxford University in 1980, and a B.A. from Harvard in 1978. In 1997 he received the Paul M. Bator Award, which is awarded annually by the Federalist Society to an "outstanding legal scholar" under forty. McGinnis worked in the Office of Legal Counsel, Department of Justice from 1985 to 1991. He has given 10 testimonies before congress.

McGinnis's government posts are currently as a member of the National Advisory Committee for the North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation, and as a roster member of the United States Panelists for Resolution of World Trade Organization Disputes.

[edit] Controversial positions

McGinnis is a co-author of a law review article stating that the majority of law school faculty members donate more to Democrats than to Republicans. (Bluebook Citation: 93 Geo. L.J. 1167) He uses this to attack the "viewpoint diversity" justification that the U.S. Supreme Court used to permit law schools to give racial minorities an advantage in their admissions processes. His argument is that law schools are not, and probably should not be, committed to political viewpoint diversity in the hiring process (implying that they should not use racial viewpoint diversity in recuiting and admitting students).

[edit] Selected bibliography

"The Origin of Conservatism: Evolutionary theories suggest that conservative politics are necessary to govern a fallen man," National Review, December 22, 1997. (Cover story)
- "The descent of man: can conservative concepts be derived from evolution? Critics respond to John O. McGinnis," National Review, December 22, 1997. Includes McGinnis' reply.
The World Trade Constitution (with Mark Movsesian, volume published in Chinese) The People’s Press (2004)
"The World Trade Organization as a Structure of Liberty" in Harvard Journal of Public Law and Policy, 2004
Supermajoritarianism (with M. Rappaport) (expected 2005)