When did anti-semitism become “horrible”?
I was just reading about the case of Steven Salaita, who had his offer of a tenured professorship of American Indian Studies at the University of Illinois withdrawn because of some fairly ferocious...
View ArticleRespect for others’ perspectives
It sounds like a good idea, but can get you trapped in contradictions. With regard to l’affaire Salaita, which I commented on here. Much more information from Corey Robin here and here, including links...
View ArticleHiring formalities
One other point has occurred to me, with regard to the firing/not-quite-hiring of Steven Salaita at the University of Illinois, which I have commented on here and here. Defenders of the university’s...
View ArticleMixing up the issues
The Salaita fiasco rumbles along. I have commented before on the case, where the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign took advantage of ambiguities in its hiring process to try to destroy the career...
View ArticleThe force of “overwhelming”
The New Republic has published a film review by Yishai Schwartz under the portentous title “The Edward Snowden Documentary Accidentally Exposes His Lies”. While I generally support — and indeed, am...
View ArticleIs it better if they spy accurately?
There’s a fascinating article in the Guardian about how Berlin has become a centre for “digital exiles”, people — mainly Americans — whose online activism has put them in the crosshairs of various...
View ArticleMath and science
Corey Robin updates us on l’affaire Salaita. I was struck by his comment Thirty-four heads of departments and academic units at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign wrote a scorching letter...
View ArticleJames Watson has cashed in his Nobel prize
So can we ignore him now? Of course, he couldn’t sell the prize, only the medal. But the fact that this deeply mediocre and bigoted mind received so much attention and adulation for so long casts a...
View ArticleHeckler’s veto in Southampton
A couple of weeks ago I signed a petition in support of a conference planned for 17-19 April at the University of Southampton, on “International Law and the State of Israel: Legitimacy, Responsibility...
View ArticleA real champion of academic freedom
I’ve commented before about the craven assault on academic freedom at the University of Southampton, which feigned concerns about “health and safety” to justify cancelling an uncomfortable conference...
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