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Richard York is associate professor of sociology and environmental studies, the Richard A. Bray Faculty Fellow, and Graduate Program Director of sociology. He came to the University of Oregon in Fall 2002 after completing his Ph.D. at Washington State University. He has published over fifty articles, including ones in American Sociological Review, Conservation Biology, Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, Monthly Review, Sociological Theory, and Theory and Society . He is co-editor of the Sage journal Organization & Environment . He has published three books with Monthly Review Press: The Critique of Intelligent Design and The Ecological Rift: Capitalism's War on the Earth , both with John Bellamy Foster and Brett Clark, and The Science and Humanism of Stephen Jay Gould with Brett Clark. He has twice (2004 and 2007) received the Outstanding Publication Award from the Environment and Technology Section of the American Sociological Association. He has also received the William Piche Award in Arts and Sciences (2006) from the College of Arts and Sciences for "excellence in teaching, superior scholarship, and dedicated service." His research focuses on the social structural forces that generate environmental crises and the philosophy, history, and sociology of science. He teaches courses on environmental sociology, social theory, and quantitative methodology.
"This thoughtful and perceptive presentation of the remarkable work of
Stephen Jay Gould is most welcome. With skill and insight, the authors elucidate
Gould's contributions to evolutionary theory and to the understanding of the
interactions of science and human life in many dimensions, from the social
factors that enter into serious scientific inquiry to the ways in which
recognition of the meaninglessness of nature sets the conditions
for a humanistic concern for the achievements of creative
intelligence and for how to live a decent life. Not least, they bring
forth Gould's dedication to presenting to the general public the
discoveries of biological science, and what it reveals about the
wonders of nature, and his inspiring commitment to justice and
freedom in his life and work."
—Noam Chomsky
"York and Clark present a sympathetic and expansive overview of
Stephen Jay Gould's scientific and popular writings, emphasizing how his
humanism penetrated every aspect of his work. They offer an insightful
interpretation of Gould's scientific, historical, and philosophical endeavors,
giving the reader a refreshing and unified view of his life's accomplishments."
—Elisabeth A. Lloyd, author, Science, Politics, and Evolution
"Stephen Jay Gould will be remembered for many things. He made
major contributions to post-Darwinian evolutionary theory, its
philosophy, and history. His many essays and books are models of
popular science writing. Above all he had a passionate concern for social
justice and was a powerful analytical critic of the ways in which 'science'
has been used in support of racism and sexism. Here, sociologists Richard
York and Brett Clark bring together many facets of Gould's vast output in an
accessible exegesis of his ideas."
—Steven Rose, editor, The Richness of Life:
The Essential Stephen Jay Gould


