Professor Hamish Spencer - Eugenics at the edge of empire

Hamish Spencer is professor in the Department of Zoology at the University of Otago. A geneticist interested in the history of eugenics, he has published more than 150 scientific articles, many involving mathematical modeling of genetic changes that occur in human, animal and plant populations. He and Diane Paul have also co-authored essays on the history of laws and attitudes surrounding first-cousin marriage, and now the pair, along with Professor John Stenhouse, have teamed up to edit Eugenics at the Edge of Empire, exploring the history of eugenics in four Dominions of the British Empire: New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and South Africa.