Institute for Humane Studies

The Institute for Humane Studies (IHS) at George Mason University acts as a libertarian talent scout, identifying, developing, and supporting the brightest young libertarians it can find who are intent on a leveraged scholarly, or intellectual, career path. Each year IHS awards over $400,000 in scholarships to students from universities around the world.

Funding
The Institute receives funding from a number of large libertarian and right-wing foundations, including the Sarah Scaife Foundation, the Koch Family Foundations, Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation and the Carthage Foundation.

History
It was started in 1961 by F. A. Harper as a successor to his projects for the William Volker Fund from which he was sacked. The IHS inherited Volker's staff, approach, and the strategy of its directors, Loren Miller and Herb Cornuelle. Other founding members (who had also been associated with the Volker Fund) included Leonard P. Liggio, George Reach, Kenneth S. Templeton, Jr., and Dr. Neil McLeod; and among the earliest business supporters of the IHS were R. C. Hoiles, J. Howard Pew, Howard Buffet, William L. Law, and Pierre Goodrich.

In 1985 the IHS moved to Fairfax, Virginia, and associated with George Mason University. In 1995 IHS was in the same building near George Mason University at "4084 University Drive" in Fairfax as Atlas Economic Research Foundation, The Locke Institute, the Center for Market Processes and Science and Environmental Policy Project. 

Actions
In 2004, IHS launched aBetterEarth.org -- a student oriented website that advocates "pragmatic approaches to solving environmental problems." The site promotes "alternative environmental approaches, including locally based 'eco-innovation,' outcome-based regulations, quasi-market pricing strategies, corporate and individual stewardship, property rights enforcement as a means of protecting the environment from polluters, and the cultivation of environmental aesthetics." Traditional environmentalists are criticized for being anti-capitalist and for pushing regulations that don't work.

Politopia.com, a project of the IHS, is a website which quizzes the user on their political values and applies it to their model.

Personnel
Previous presidents include David Nott of the Reason Foundation

Board includes
 * Charles G. Koch (Chairman)
 * James Arthur Pope, aka Art Pope
 * John Blundell
 * Eric O'Keefe

Staff includes
 * Marty Zupan, President

Contact Information
Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University 3301 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 440 Arlington VA 22201 tel: 703.993.4880 / 800.697.8799 fax: 703.993.4890 web site: http://www.theihs.org

Related SourceWatch articles

 * Foundations and Funders

Related Links

 * John Blundell, "Waging the War of Ideas", speech to the Heritage Foundation, January 1990
 * Clean Air Trust, Trust names Wendy Lee Gramm The Clean Air 'Villan of the Month', January 2002.
 * Radley Balko, "Private Investment Protects Environment Where Government Fails," FOXNews, April 8, 2004.
 * "Institute for Humane Studies," MediaTransparency.org.