I'm using the word pejoratively, but I was specifically referring to the handwavey discussion of skull measurement as a synecdoche for the whole article.
Quillette is a very thinly disguised far right publication, and mainstreaming BS theories of 'race science' is an incremental project that has historically turned out badly. Here's a more detailed treatment of the article's flaws, including the commentary of someone whose scientific work is cited in the article. https://uncommongroundmedia.com/quillettes-attempt-legitimis...
You can argue with the merits of their arguments, but that article is not an example of "peddling debunked concepts like phrenology" (or whatever your original claim was, I can't get the exact text at this point).
And their discussion about skull measurement was not handwavey. It made one very specific assertion and provided some evidence. Again, they may be wrong, but your description of what happens in that article is not an accurate representation of reality.
Quillette is a very thinly disguised far right publication, and mainstreaming BS theories of 'race science' is an incremental project that has historically turned out badly. Here's a more detailed treatment of the article's flaws, including the commentary of someone whose scientific work is cited in the article. https://uncommongroundmedia.com/quillettes-attempt-legitimis...