Otago professor ‘a giant among scholars’
Professor James (Jim) Robert Flynn, an internationally renowned psychology and politics professor and free speech advocate, has died.
The University of Otago Emeritus professor died on Friday, aged 86.
His work on what is now known as the ‘‘Flynn effect’’, which describes the sustained increase in IQ test scores in populations from one generation to the next, led to international attention. He has been profiled by Scientific American, Newsweek and written about in the New York Times.
University of Otago vicechancellor Professor Harlene Hayne described Flynn – who taught political studies as an emeritus professor at the university – as a legendary teacher.
‘‘We feel the loss of Professor Flynn very keenly. He was ... a giant amongst scholars.’’
Flynn had long been a fighter for left-wing causes, as well as climate change in his later years.
His 2016 book No Place to Hide argued that the world must implement climate engineering while it transitioned to carbon-free energy, or the planet would pass a ‘‘point of no return’’.
He was the head of the University of Otago’s political studies department from 1967 to 1996. The university awarded him its gold medal and an honorary Doctorate of Science.
His research interests included humane ideals and ideological debate, classics of political philosophy, race, class and IQ.
He was a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand and recipient of its Aronui Medal.
Flynn grew up in the United States and migrated to New Zealand in 1963 to escape the political repression of the McCarthy era. By that time, he had already been fired twice from universities for his political leanings.
In 1967, Flynn served as a chairperson for the Congress of Radical Equality civil rights organisation in the South of the United States.
He was described as a ‘‘hero of the left’’, but in recent years caused controversy for his ardent defence of free speech.
His book In Defence of Free Speech: The University as Censor was pulled by UK publisher Emerald last year. The publisher cited concerns about the possibility of contravening British hate speech laws.