The fact is that there is a ton of funding available for social justice research and the tenure process requires published research. You need grant money to do this.
“grievance studies departments”: A complete description in three words. Brilliant.
At my school they are pushing all of us hard (white guys too) to do research as undergrads, and the only money around is linked to social justice research. The school wants to grow its influence, and farming a large crop of students with advanced degrees seems part of the plan, but despite being in a conservative area the money for academic research is all tied to advancing social justice. I have no idea of why that is, but it is. It seems a bit limiting and soul destroying, frankly.
True justice will be obtained when all the Whites who favored affirmative action are replaced by non-Whites, who then direct their hate at them.
The grievance studies departments have always been sheltered workshops for faculty who couldn’t cut it in real academic departments. They are also a way to warehouse students who don’t measure up. Both functions are driven primarily by the desire of universities to hit their affirmative action quotas.