What Does It Mean to Go Public? The American Response to Lysenkoism, Reconsidered.

The article presents an exploration into the American scientific response to the socio-political campaigns of the Soviet agriculturalist Trofim Lysenko and the intellectual culture of the early Cold War in the U.S. regarding the relationship between professional societies and contemporary political controversies. Details are given highlighting the causes and influence of Lysenkoism, the general resistance to the spread of its ideology by the U.S., and the role of the Genetics Society of America (GSA) within the public sphere. Discussion is offered focusing on the dynamics of scientists and their personal or professional involvement in politics during the mid 20th century.