Yale historians vs. Yale IRBs

Kanya Balakrishna, "Humanities research may see more rules," Yale Daily News, 17 April 2007.

At Yale, Human Subjects Committee chair Susan Bouregy believes everyone is happy: "Humanities research at Yale is reviewed by an IRB which reviews exclusively social science, behavioral, educational and humanities research so there is a degree of familiarity with the techniques and practices of these disciplines as well as where the regulations allow flexibility to meet the needs of these types of projects."

But the reporter also talked to three Yale historians, all of whom thought IRB review was inappropriate. For a dissenting voice, she had to go to Taylor Atkins, perhaps the only historian to go on record in favor of IRB review.