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The Academic Mob Rules
WSJ ^ | May 9, 2012 | Naomi Schaefer Riley

Posted on 05/09/2012 8:32:28 AM PDT by yoe

Recently, the Chronicle of Higher Education published a cover story called "Black Studies: 'Swaggering Into the Future,'" in which the reporter described how "young black-studies scholars . . . are less consumed than their predecessors with the need to validate the field or explain why they are pursuing doctorates in their discipline." The "5 Up-and-Coming Ph.D. Candidates" described in the piece's sidebar "are rewriting the history of race." While the article suggested some are skeptical of black studies as a discipline, the reporter neglected to quote anyone who is.

Like me. So last week, on the Chronicle's "Brainstorm" blog (where I was paid to be a regular contributor), I suggested that the dissertation topics of the graduate students mentioned were obscure at best and "a collection of left-wing victimization claptrap," at worst.

[snip] The graduate students I mentioned and the senior faculty who advise them at Northwestern University accused me (in guest blogs posted by the Chronicle editors) of bigotry and cowardice. The former wrote that "in a bid to not be 'out-niggered' [their word]

[snip]But a substantive critique about the content of academic disciplines is simply impossible in the closed bubble of higher education. If you want to know why almost all of the responses to my original post consist of personal attacks on me, along with irrelevant mentions of Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and George Zimmerman, it is because black studies is a cause, not a course of study. By doubting the academic worthiness of black studies, my critics conclude, I am opposed to racial justice—and therefore a racist.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: academia
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Women's Studies as well as Black studies is a cause not a course. IMHO
1 posted on 05/09/2012 8:32:32 AM PDT by yoe
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To: yoe

You’ve just inspired my retirement career!

I’ll go back to college, just to annoy the faculty!


2 posted on 05/09/2012 8:46:02 AM PDT by G Larry (Criminals thrive on the indulgence of society's understanding)
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To: yoe

Black studies, women’s studies, and I would add gender studies.

Or, as it is sometimes called in academia, gender bending.


3 posted on 05/09/2012 8:46:32 AM PDT by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: yoe
There was an interesting thread about this topic yesterday. You can follow the links to get to her original essay.

Silencing Dissent About Black Studies

4 posted on 05/09/2012 8:48:43 AM PDT by Albion Wilde ("Real men are not threatened by strong women." -- Sarah Palin)
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To: yoe

Well if there is a need for Black studies and Hispanic Studies and Asian studies, then there must be a need for Anglo studies - right?

Likewise, if there are Women’s studies and female empowerment, why not Men’s studies and Male empowerment?

I think we all know the answer to those questions.


5 posted on 05/09/2012 8:48:58 AM PDT by taxcontrol
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To: yoe
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has a GREAT Black Studies Department. Black athletes register for the classes and NOBODY shows up — not even the professors. Everybody passes with good grades, even the students who plagiarize term papers. Fabulous!
6 posted on 05/09/2012 8:48:58 AM PDT by July4 (Remember the price paid for your freedom.)
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To: yoe

Are there thousands of job opportunities available for someone with a Masters in Black Studies?

I didn’t think so.

After you have earned this Masters or PHD, what do you have?For that matter what do you have with even a BA in Black studies?

Just a bit more hate than you had to start with.


7 posted on 05/09/2012 8:49:23 AM PDT by Venturer
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To: yoe

“Women’s Studies as well as Black studies is a cause not a course. IMHO”

Never heard this stated so very well! KUDOS!


8 posted on 05/09/2012 8:49:51 AM PDT by Dudoight
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To: yoe

“Too much of what we call ‘education’ is little more than an expensive isolation from reality”-Thomas Sowell


9 posted on 05/09/2012 8:50:56 AM PDT by TurboZamboni (Looting the future to bribe the present)
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To: yoe

I waded through three or four of the articles about this in the Chronicle of Higher Education and through about 200 of the comments.

Nowhere did anyone mention that Mrs. Riley’s name comes from her husband, Jason Riley, who is African-American and a WSJ editorial board member. I learned that from one of the early comments on the WSJ article posted here.

Of course, the racist commentators at the Chronicle would respond that she, like her racist husband, is racist. Doesn’t matter that he’s Black. He’s a racist. She’s a racist. Anyone who calls out the Lefty Racists is a Racist.

Racist Racist Racist Racist Racist Racist Racist Racist Racist Racist

Childhood playground taunts, most of the comments in the Chronicle.

But childish playgrund taunts that will lead to race war. I urge FReepers to go to the Chronicle and search for Mark Bauerlein’s article “Naomi Riley and her Respondents” and Peter Wood’s article “Riley’s Arrow” and read the comments.

Chilling. But one needs to know his enemy.

defense


10 posted on 05/09/2012 8:53:06 AM PDT by Houghton M.
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To: yoe

ALL the black/Hispanic/women’s/”Native American”/”gay”, etc. Studies programs and courses are WORTHLESS at best!!!!

The same goes for those sections of the humanities and social sciences, and even professional schools (law, government, etc.) that have become infected with”deconstructionism”/”postmodernism!!!!

Natural sciences and engineering are still OK.

All the rest need to ditch the post-modern clap-trap and get back to honest scholarship. But Victim Studies programs are irredeemable and should be abolished!!!


11 posted on 05/09/2012 8:58:08 AM PDT by Honorary Serb (Kosovo is Serbia! Free Srpska! Abolish ICTY!)
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To: Cicero
"gender studies"

Used to be called "I'll show your mine if you show me yours".

12 posted on 05/09/2012 9:06:30 AM PDT by tbpiper
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To: Cicero

“Black studies, women’s studies, and I would add gender studies. Or, as it is sometimes called in academia, gender bending.”

Don’t forget “Queer Studies”!


13 posted on 05/09/2012 9:14:30 AM PDT by mkleesma (`Call to me, and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.')
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To: taxcontrol
Well if there is a need for Black studies and Hispanic Studies and Asian studies, then there must be a need for Anglo studies - right?

That's what we used to have when we had the Great Books curriculum.

14 posted on 05/09/2012 9:21:59 AM PDT by PapaBear3625 (In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act. - George Orwell)
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To: Venturer
After you have earned this Masters or PHD, what do you have?

ummmmmm, maybe become a Marc Lamont Hill?

15 posted on 05/09/2012 9:23:57 AM PDT by yoe
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To: yoe

Add to this Hawaiian Studies. And now UH Hilo is building a big new bldg devoted to this, to go along with the dept. in Honolulu. It’s sad to watch this repeat of what I watched in Chicago in the early 1970s with the Black Studies programs.


16 posted on 05/09/2012 9:38:37 AM PDT by jobim (.)
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To: G Larry

[ You’ve just inspired my retirement career!

I’ll go back to college, just to annoy the faculty! ]

Be careful the so called “speech codes” will no doubt give them plenty of reason to kick you out.


17 posted on 05/09/2012 9:38:53 AM PDT by GraceG
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To: GraceG

I would be most happy to shove their “speech codes” down their throat!


18 posted on 05/09/2012 11:08:51 AM PDT by G Larry (Criminals thrive on the indulgence of society's understanding)
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To: yoe
Women's Studies as well as Black studies is a cause not a course. IMHO

Women's Studies as well as Black studies is a JOKE.

I have demanded from every one of these so-called scholar's; What can you do with your degree? Spending your time hectoring the rest of us about YOUR grievance, isn't a legitimate answer.

19 posted on 05/09/2012 12:49:12 PM PDT by Ouderkirk (Democrats...the party of Slavery, Segregation, Sodomy, and Sedition)
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To: Ouderkirk

I did a lot of women studies in my day, and all I have to show for it is two divorces. Guess I didn’t study enough before the finals, hence the failing grade, divorce.


20 posted on 05/09/2012 12:54:17 PM PDT by MHGinTN (Being deceived can be cured.)
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