John Derbyshire (born June 14, 1945) is a British-American journalist, writer, and commentator. A former columnist for National Review and a contributor to various conservative and paleoconservative publications, he is known for his views on race, immigration, and American politics, which have often been characterized as controversial and racially charged.
Derbyshire was born and educated in England, studying mathematics at University College London. He worked as a computer programmer in England and later in the United States, where he moved in the 1980s and became a naturalized citizen.
His writing career began in the late 1990s. He became a contributing editor to National Review and wrote for publications such as The New Criterion, American Conservative, and Taki's Magazine. He gained acclaim for his popular science writing, particularly his book Prime Obsession: Bernhard Riemann and the Greatest Unsolved Problem in Mathematics (2000), which explores the Riemann hypothesis. His other books include We Are Doomed: Reclaiming Conservative Privilege (2009), a pessimistic critique of modern Western society.
Derbyshire's political views are generally described as paleoconservative, characterized by skepticism towards globalization, multiculturalism, and mass immigration. He has frequently written on topics related to race and intelligence, often advocating for a perspective known as "racial realism," which posits inherent cognitive differences between racial groups.
In 2012, Derbyshire was dismissed from National Review after publishing an article titled "The Talk: Nonblack Version" on the online publication Taki's Magazine. The article, which offered advice to white parents on how to discuss interactions with black people, was widely condemned as racist by his critics, including National Review's editor, Rich Lowry, who stated that it contained "unacceptable" and "nasty" racial views.
Since his dismissal from National Review, Derbyshire has continued to write for other outlets, most notably VDare, an anti-immigration website, and Taki's Magazine. He also hosts a weekly podcast, "Radio Derb," and maintains a personal blog.
Selected Works:
- Prime Obsession: Bernhard Riemann and the Greatest Unsolved Problem in Mathematics (2000)
- Silly Beggar (2002)
- Attic Salt (2003)
- We Are Doomed: Reclaiming Conservative Privilege (2009)
- From the Dissident Right: Essays 2007-2013 (2013)