Thanks for the summary.
by Dutch (2024-01-03 11:40:27)

In reply to: Useful review of how the rot set in at "elite" schools.  posted by sorin69

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The full article is paywalled, but I appreciate your synopsis. Do you think we are at an inflection point where real change will happen, or will the current storm blow over with no real change (other than who is sitting in the chair at the top of some universities)?

Also, I'd appreciate your thoughts on why to exclude groups like the KKK or those who would defend laws against miscegenation. I'm open minded, but my initial reaction was as follows:

1) I think you need first need to distinguish between academic and activist activities and lectures.
2) As a corollary to the first factor you summarize, I think universities should be very hesitant to invite someone to make an activist presentation or lecture as part of an official university sponsored event. I'm not suggesting that universities should actively try to quell activism, or that they should not make their facilities available to student groups who are engaged in activism; however, I think the universities should try to avoid taking a side on the issue giving rise to the activism and should not allow activists to use the university to try to pass themselves off as academics (I understand that someone can be both, but if they are making a formal university sponsored lecture, it should be academic).
3) On the academic side, I think there is an important distinction to be made between allowing a guest lecture on a certain topic versus employing someone who actively engaged in the study or promotion of a certain line of thinking. This is where I disagree with you a bit on the KKK, for example. I would have no problem with a university allowing someone to make an academic argument in favor of the KKK or racism in general. I would actually welcome that as part of a panel or symposium where differing views could be heard. I think this would help expose how thin racist arguments are while also offering the students an opportunity to witness how to dismantle weak arguments. However, when it comes to employing faculty or offering student courses, I would agree that employing someone who devoted his or her career to promoting laws against miscegenation is probably not a good idea. However, I base that more on the weak academic arguments related to miscegenation than on the topic itself. Along those lines, I would not have a problem with a university employing someone or offering courses related to the medical, moral, and/or religious arguments against transgenderism. I agree that the line in this area is not always clear, but I would err on the side of allowing the discussion as long as it's done in a an academic manner.


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