The James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal
  • Donate
  • Publications
  • Projects
  • Events
  • About
  • Contact
  • Academics
  • Athletics
  • Costs
  • Governance
  • Innovation
  • Politicization

Author Profile

Michael J. Pearce

Michael J. Pearce is founder and chair of The Representational Art Conference (TRAC). He is the author of “Art in the Age of Emergence.”

Articles by Michael J. Pearce


The New Masters of the Atelier

Oct 14, 2022 · Michael J. Pearce · Comments Off on The New Masters of the Atelier

Here is a good reason to be cheerful about art instruction in America. A new master’s degree program trains art teachers to instruct using the traditional techniques of 19th-century “atelier” … Continue reading “The New Masters of the Atelier”


Birds of Paradise: The Moral Poverty of Faculty Freedom Fighters

Jun 17, 2022 · Michael J. Pearce · Comments Off on Birds of Paradise: The Moral Poverty of Faculty Freedom Fighters

Carl Dobsky’s brilliant, fiery painting “Birds of Paradise” has been the focus of attention at his recent exhibitions, because it accurately and effectively captures the zeitgeist of contemporary American life. … Continue reading “Birds of Paradise: The Moral Poverty of Faculty Freedom Fighters”


Blowing the Boiler of American Education

Jul 21, 2021 · Michael J. Pearce · Comments Off on Blowing the Boiler of American Education

The need for change in the visual arts may offer a way to fix two of the many fundamental problems afflicting American liberal arts education in general. These are the … Continue reading “Blowing the Boiler of American Education”


To De-Politicize Art Schools, Students Need to Fight Back  

Dec 16, 2020 · Michael J. Pearce · Comments Off on To De-Politicize Art Schools, Students Need to Fight Back  

It has never been harder to teach artistic individualism in America. A religious devotion to the causes of social justice dominates the ideas of professors in the academy, and David … Continue reading “To De-Politicize Art Schools, Students Need to Fight Back  “


Thomas Cole, "A View of the Mountain Pass Called the Notch of the White Mountains (Crawford Notch)," 1839.

Why Art Matters

Mar 18, 2020 · Michael J. Pearce · Comments Off on Why Art Matters

What do conservatives want to conserve? Clearly, conservatives everywhere desire the preservation and maintenance of the good things belonging to their various cultures that have been passed down from previous … Continue reading “Why Art Matters”


Politicized Art Schools Are Losing Students to the Atelier Movement

May 22, 2019 · Michael J. Pearce · Comments Off on Politicized Art Schools Are Losing Students to the Atelier Movement

A series of disasters face art colleges and the art departments of American universities. Their campuses are closing, their freshmen numbers are dwindling, and their graduates are struggling. Getting more … Continue reading “Politicized Art Schools Are Losing Students to the Atelier Movement”

More in Academics

  • How a Private College Mandated Civics Instruction Mar 22, 2023

    In the fall of 2020, Cairn University in southeastern Pennsylvania implemented a revised core curriculum that introduced, among other things, a new required course in civics and government. Reactions to … Continue reading “How a Private College Mandated Civics Instruction”

  • The Media Take On the UNC Board Mar 20, 2023

    When news broke that UNC-Chapel Hill had plans to create a new School of Civic Life and Leadership, it was inevitable that there would be some confusion. But nearly two … Continue reading “The Media Take On the UNC Board”

  • ROTC and the Ivies Mar 17, 2023

    Ivy League universities have a distinguished history of their students serving the country in the armed forces. Yale can claim Captain Nathan Hale, class of 1773, executed by the British … Continue reading “ROTC and the Ivies”

More in Commentary

  • North Carolina Strikes a Blow Against Credentialism Mar 23, 2023

    Last week, following an executive order by Gov. Roy Cooper, North Carolina joined a growing movement to pull down unnecessary barriers to public employment. Bearing the modest title “Recognizing the … Continue reading “North Carolina Strikes a Blow Against Credentialism”

  • The Media Take On the UNC Board Mar 20, 2023

    When news broke that UNC-Chapel Hill had plans to create a new School of Civic Life and Leadership, it was inevitable that there would be some confusion. But nearly two … Continue reading “The Media Take On the UNC Board”

  • ROTC and the Ivies Mar 17, 2023

    Ivy League universities have a distinguished history of their students serving the country in the armed forces. Yale can claim Captain Nathan Hale, class of 1773, executed by the British … Continue reading “ROTC and the Ivies”

More in Innovation

  • North Carolina Strikes a Blow Against Credentialism Mar 23, 2023

    Last week, following an executive order by Gov. Roy Cooper, North Carolina joined a growing movement to pull down unnecessary barriers to public employment. Bearing the modest title “Recognizing the … Continue reading “North Carolina Strikes a Blow Against Credentialism”

  • How a Private College Mandated Civics Instruction Mar 22, 2023

    In the fall of 2020, Cairn University in southeastern Pennsylvania implemented a revised core curriculum that introduced, among other things, a new required course in civics and government. Reactions to … Continue reading “How a Private College Mandated Civics Instruction”

  • Davidson College Affirms Free Speech Mar 16, 2023

    Last week, faculty at Davidson College affirmed their commitment to free expression on campus by approving their own version of the Chicago Principles. It’s a step that the pro-free-speech organization … Continue reading “Davidson College Affirms Free Speech”

Popular Articles

  • The Media Take On the UNC Board Mar 20, 2023
    When news broke that UNC-Chapel Hill had plans to creat...
  • Law-School “Mismatch” Is Worse Than We Thought Mar 15, 2023
    Eighteen years ago, I published an article in the Stanf...
  • ROTC and the Ivies Mar 17, 2023
    Ivy League universities have a distinguished history of...

Recent Articles

  • North Carolina Strikes a Blow Against Credentialism Mar 23, 2023

    Last week, following an executive order by Gov. Roy Cooper, North Carolina joined a growing movement to pull down unnecessary barriers to public employment. Bearing the modest title “Recognizing the … Continue reading “North Carolina Strikes a Blow Against Credentialism”

  • How a Private College Mandated Civics Instruction Mar 22, 2023

    In the fall of 2020, Cairn University in southeastern Pennsylvania implemented a revised core curriculum that introduced, among other things, a new required course in civics and government. Reactions to … Continue reading “How a Private College Mandated Civics Instruction”

  • The Media Take On the UNC Board Mar 20, 2023

    When news broke that UNC-Chapel Hill had plans to create a new School of Civic Life and Leadership, it was inevitable that there would be some confusion. But nearly two … Continue reading “The Media Take On the UNC Board”

Want more?

Sign up to receive all of our articles and news in our weekly newsletters.
Subscribe

© 2023 The James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal — Privacy Policy

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS