Unz attended Harvard University, earning a bachelor of science in physics and ancient history. He then went to the University of Cambridge and eventually to Stanford University to do doctoral work in theoretical physics, which he never completed. He was later awarded a master"s degree by Stanford.
He was publisher of The American Conservative from March 2007 to August 2013. Unz worked in the banking industry writing software for mortgage securities during his studies, and founded a company called Wall Street Analytics in Palo Alto, California. In 2006 his company was acquired by the ratings firm Moody"son Unz made an unsuccessful bid for the Republican nomination for Governor of California in 1994.
Newspapers referred to Unz"s candidacy as a Revenge of the Nerds and often quoted his claim of a 214 intelligence quotient. In 1994, Unz opposed California Proposition 187 to deny social services to illegal immigrants, passed by 58.8% of the voters but later overturned by a federal court.
Unz said at the time that "Silicon Valley.. is absolutely dependent upon immigrant professionals to maintain its technological edge. If they left or their future inflow were cut off, America"s computer industry would probably go with them." In 1998, he sponsored California Proposition 227, which aimed to change the state"s bilingual education to an opt-in structured English language educational system and which was approved by the voters despite opposition from language education researchers.
Proposition 227 did not seek to end bilingual education, as special exemptions were made for students to remain in an English immersion class if a parent so desires. However, there were limits (such as age restrictions) for the exemptions, and there were provisions to discipline teachers that refused to teach solely or predominantly in English.
The book English for the Children: Mandated by the People, Skewed by Politicians and Special Interests by Johanna Haver (Rowman & Littlefield, 2013) recounts the controversies and political action resulting from Unz"s California and subsequent ballot initiatives: Arizona Proposition 203, Colorado Amendment 31, and Massachusetts Question 2.
In 2016, Unz started "Free Harvard, Fair Harvard" campaign, centered on the Harvard Board of Overseers. Its slate of candidates is Unz, Lee Cheng, Stuart Taylor, Junior., Stephen Hsu, and Ralph Nader. The campaign seeks for tuition fees at Harvard to be abolished and for greater transparency in the admissions process.
In January 2012, Unz launched the website UNZ.org, an archive of free periodicals, books, and videos.
In November 2013, Unz launched the website The Unz Review, a blogging platform.
