Raymond Leslie Buell (July 13, 1896–1946) was an American social scientist.[1][2] He was an assistant professor at Harvard University until 1927 when he became research director at the Foreign Policy Association.[3][4] He later became president of the Foreign Policy Association.[5][6]

Buell was a prominent critic of isolationism in the United States in the lead-up to World War II.[7] A critic of economic nationalism, Buell argued for free trade treaties.[7] A critic of imperialism and racial supremacy, Buell argued for retaining native tribal institutions in Africa.[8][9] He influenced the work of Ralph Bunche.[3][10]

Early life and education

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Buell was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 13, 1896.[11] His father was a minister at the Presbyterian Church.[2] He graduated with an A.B. from Occidental College.[11][2] He served in the American Expeditionary Force during World War I.[1][7]

He wrote his 1920 book Contemporary French Politics while a student at the University of Grenoble.[2][11] He earned a masters in 1920 and a PhD in 1922 from Princeton University.[11][2] From 1920 to 1921, he was Assistant professor of history and economics at Occidental College.[11]

Career

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After receiving his PhD in 1922, he began working as an instructor and researcher at Harvard University.[11] He became assistant professor at Harvard University in 1926 but gave up his position in 1927 after becoming research director at the Foreign Policy Association.[11]

He authored the influential 1925 textbook International Relations.[12][13][14][15] In the book, he flags nationalism as a powerful driver of international conflict, as it prompts conflict within empires and stokes tensions between states about borders.[16] He argues that imperialism, which he described as "evil", provokes conflict between imperial powers and between empires and the groups that the empires tries to conquer and subjugate.[9] He challenged notions that pure races existed and that one race was superior to other races, as well as argued that modern nations were composed of multiple races.[17] He criticized economic nationalism and argued for free trade treaties.[18] He opposed the U.S. policy of excluding Asians from immigration and citizenship.[19]

He authored The Native Question in Africa, which was a comparative study of colonial rule.[20][21][22] Buell argues in the book for retaining native tribal institutions in Africa.[8] He opposed U.S. isolationism in the years leading up to World War II.[23][1] He authored the book Isolated America in 1940.[1]

Buell ran for Congress in 1942, losing to Allen T. Treadway in an election for Massachusetts's first congressional district.[1][24]

Works (partial list)

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Personal life

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He married Frances March Dwight in 1928.[11] They had a son and daughter.[7] He died in Montreal, Canada on February 20, 1946.[11][7]

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Drew, Bernard A. "R.L. Buell served as advisor to Wilkie". The Berkshire Eagle. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Raymond Leslie Buell, Class of 1914 - Santa Paula Times". m.santapaulatimes.com. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  3. ^ a b Pedersen, Susan (2015). The Guardians: The League of Nations and the Crisis of Empire. Oxford University Press. pp. 321–324. doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199570485.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-19-957048-5.
  4. ^ Rietzler, Katharina (2022). "U.S. Foreign Policy Think Tanks and Women's Intellectual Labor, 1920–1950". Diplomatic History. 46 (3): 575–601. doi:10.1093/dh/dhac015. ISSN 0145-2096.
  5. ^ "Reading Eagle - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  6. ^ "Books: Fundamentalist v. Modernist". Time. May 20, 1940. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d e "R.L. Buell Is Dead; A Foe of Isolation; Former Head of Foreign Policy Association Champion of a Global Outlook for U.S." The New York Times. February 21, 1946. ISSN 0362-4331.
  8. ^ a b Wright, Quincy (1929). "Review of The Native Problem in Africa". Political Science Quarterly. 44 (2): 276–279. doi:10.2307/2142999. ISSN 0032-3195. JSTOR 2142999.
  9. ^ a b Buell, Raymond Leslie (1929). International Relations. H. Holt. pp. 289–292, 305–307.
  10. ^ Robinson, Pearl (2010). Trustee for the Human Community: Ralph J. Bunche, the United Nations, and the Decolonization of Africa. Ohio University Press. pp. 74–86.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Raymond Leslie Buell Papers: A Finding Aid to the Collection in the Library of Congress" (PDF). Library of Congress. 2010.
  12. ^ Acharya, Amitav; Buzan, Barry (2019). The Making of Global International Relations. Cambridge University Press. p. 86. ISBN 978-1-108-48017-8.
  13. ^ Fenwick, C. G. (February 1926). "International Relations. By Raymond Leslie Buell. (New York: Henry Holt and Co.1925. Pp. xiii, 768.)". American Political Science Review. 20 (1): 206–208. doi:10.2307/1945127. ISSN 0003-0554. JSTOR 1945127. S2CID 146749007.
  14. ^ Stuart, Graham H. (1927). "International Relations. By Raymond Leslie Buell. New York: Henry Holt, 1925. Pp. xv, 768. Index. $4.00". American Journal of International Law. 21 (2): 382–383. doi:10.2307/2189145. ISSN 0002-9300. JSTOR 2189145.
  15. ^ Swain, J. W. (1930). "International Relations. Raymond Leslie Buell". The Journal of Modern History. 2 (3): 504–505. doi:10.1086/235637. ISSN 0022-2801.
  16. ^ Buell, Raymond Leslie (1929). International Relations. H. Holt. pp. 28–32.
  17. ^ Buell, Raymond Leslie (1929). International Relations. H. Holt. pp. 75–77.
  18. ^ Buell, Raymond Leslie (1929). International Relations. H. Holt. pp. 95–147.
  19. ^ Buell, Raymond (1923). "Against the Yellow Peril". Foreign Affairs. 2 (2): 295–309. doi:10.2307/20028293. JSTOR 20028293.
  20. ^ Pedersen, Susan (2015). The Guardians: The League of Nations and the Crisis of Empire. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199570485.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-19-957048-5.
  21. ^ Buell, Raymond Leslie (1929). "Two Lessons in Colonial Rule". Foreign Affairs. ISSN 0015-7120. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  22. ^ Scott, Arthur P. (1929). "Review of The Native Problem in Africa". American Journal of Sociology. 35 (1): 128–129. ISSN 0002-9602.
  23. ^ Horton, Ben (2022). "100 years of UK foreign policy" (PDF). International Affairs. doi:10.1093/ia/iiac035 (inactive January 31, 2024).{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of January 2024 (link)
  24. ^ "On green New England lawns like this one in North Orange, Mass., Candidate Raymond Leslie Buell is conducting his campaign for Congress. He avoids political name-calling, asks his ..." International Center of Photography. February 25, 2016. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  25. ^ Wright, Quincy (1929). "Review of The Native Problem in Africa". Political Science Quarterly. 44 (2): 276–279. doi:10.2307/2142999. ISSN 0032-3195.
  26. ^ Jones, Thomas Jesse (1928). "Review of The Native Problem in Africa". The American Political Science Review. 22 (4): 999–1004. doi:10.2307/1945369. ISSN 0003-0554.
  27. ^ Wyndham, H. A. (1928). "Review of The Native Problem in Africa". Journal of the Royal Institute of International Affairs. 7 (5): 335–337. doi:10.2307/3015149. ISSN 1473-799X.
  28. ^ C., C. (1928). "Review of The Native Problem in Africa". Journal of the Royal African Society. 28 (109): 93–94. ISSN 0368-4016.
  29. ^ Hilles, Edith (1928). "Review of The Native Problem in Africa". The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. 140: 342–343. ISSN 0002-7162.
  30. ^ Jones, Thomas Jesse (1928). Buell, Raymond Leslie (ed.). "The White Man's Part in the Civilization Of Africa". Current History (1916-1940). 29 (2): iv–vi. ISSN 2641-080X.
  31. ^ Barnes, Harry Elmer (1935). "Review of New Governments in Europe". American Journal of Sociology. 40 (4): 538–538. ISSN 0002-9602.
  32. ^ Schuman, Frederick L. (1936). "Review of Democratic Governments in Europe". American Journal of Sociology. 42 (1): 143–144. ISSN 0002-9602.