Ahren Lester, "Uneasy Bedfellows: Alfred Russel Wallace and nineteenth-century Socialist Darwinism"
Third-year History student Ahren Lester has just had an article accepted for publication in the online journal Reinvention. The article, 'Uneasy Bedfellows: Alfred Russel Wallace and nineteenth-century Socialist Darwinism', is due to appear in April.
The article started life as one of Ahren’s second-year history essays, and he decided to publish it since he had worked hard on it, doing substantial research, and wanted it to reach a wider audience. He decided to offer it to
Reinvention
, since this is an interdisciplinary journal specifically set up for undergraduate contributors; other students who have scored highly for an essay (Ahren gained a final mark of 80 for his) might want to follow his lead!
Ahren’s article deals with the relationship between socialism and evolutionary theory in the thought of a leading Victorian naturalist (see abstract below). The journal’s reviewers said that
‘this paper is on a rather difficult subject, but one of some real interest’ and praised it as ‘an interesting paper on an intriguing topic ... [which] has the considerable merit of making an original ... contribution to the field. Its most impressive aspect is the command the author displays over a diverse range of material and his ability to make his knowledge subservient to a clear and consistent argument.’
Ahren’s article also reflects his interest in exploration and ecology; one of his tutors,
Jon Conlin
, comments: "He has strong interests in the Arctic ... and has received distinguished fellowships ... to go on expeditions and attend conference up there."
Congratulations to Ahren on his splendid achievements and first publication!
Abstract of Ahren’s article:
'This papers object is to clarify the relationship between Alfred Russel Wallace’s (1823-1913) socialism and evolutionism. This paper contends that although conflicts emerge between Wallace’s socialism and Darwinism through the issues of the role of Malthusianism, the perfectibility of man and the role of individualism he remained committed to the Darwinian Theory. Indeed, it will argue that, rather than undermining his belief in Darwinism, Wallace’s socialism evolved within the new intellectual conditions created by the ‘Darwinian Revolution.’ The broader relationship between politics and science is also considered. Largely concluding that any implacable intellectual barrier created between the two distorts the historical and intellectual reality.'