John Carson

John Carson is an Associate Professor of History at the University of Michigan, affiliated with the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. He holds a Ph.D. from Princeton University (1994) and a B.A. in Philosophy from Harvard University. His research focuses on U.S. intellectual/cultural history, history of science, and history of the human sciences, particularly in the 19th-century context. He co-leads the Program in Science, Technology, and Society (STS), and contributes to American Culture and Anthro-History programs.

His landmark book The Measure of Merit: Talents, Intelligence, and Inequality in the French and American Republics, 1750–1940 examines how democratic ideals of equality clashed with scientific understandings of human differences. His work bridges intellectual history with the history of science, exploring themes like meritocracy, inequality, and the role of expertise in governance.

Carson teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on U.S. intellectual history, STS, and historiography. He advises graduate students in fields such as modern social sciences and 19th-century U.S. history. His courses include methodology training for history majors and honors thesis supervision.

His research interests include the history of intelligence testing, political thought in France and America, and the intersections of science with cultural and political systems. He has contributed to interdisciplinary dialogues through his affiliations with STS and Anthro-History, enriching discussions on science’s societal role.