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Why the Canon Wars Still Matter

Sep 14, 2022 · Daniel Buck · Comments Off on Why the Canon Wars Still Matter

Like an overlong proxy war, the “canon” skirmishes of the 1980s and ’90s no longer feature in the media, though the conflict persists. As in a battle over this or … Continue reading “Why the Canon Wars Still Matter”


Reading: Feeding the Mind and Soul

Dec 29, 2021 · Allen Mendenhall · Comments Off on Reading: Feeding the Mind and Soul

Imagine a room full of fresh-faced humanities graduate students tasked with answering this timeless question: “Why read literature?” These eager youths race to the white board, markers in hand, scribbling … Continue reading “Reading: Feeding the Mind and Soul”


Did You Know? Disrupt Texts Is the Latest Attack on the Western Canon

Jan 14, 2021 · Sumantra Maitra · Comments Off on Did You Know? Disrupt Texts Is the Latest Attack on the Western Canon

Penguin Classics is partnering with Disrupt Texts to replace Shakespeare and Homer with Ibram X. Kendi. What is Disrupt Texts? For the uninitiated, it is a new radical movement in classrooms which seeks … Continue reading “Did You Know? Disrupt Texts Is the Latest Attack on the Western Canon”


They’ve Got to Get Rid of Western Civ—They Have To 

Oct 14, 2020 · Mark Bauerlein · Comments Off on They’ve Got to Get Rid of Western Civ—They Have To 

For ten years I served on the GRE Literature Exam committee. The exam is one of the special subject matter exams separate from the regular GRE (with math, verbal, analytical … Continue reading “They’ve Got to Get Rid of Western Civ—They Have To “


Did You Know? The Disappearance of Civic Education at Elite Colleges

Jul 18, 2019 · Thomas Connor · Comments Off on Did You Know? The Disappearance of Civic Education at Elite Colleges

Modern universities are ignoring their civic duty to teach their students how to become engaged citizens. The American Council of Trustees and Alumni released a report in 2018 that showed … Continue reading “Did You Know? The Disappearance of Civic Education at Elite Colleges”


A Professor’s Tough Examination—Of Our Higher Education System

Jul 18, 2018 · George Leef · Comments Off on A Professor’s Tough Examination—Of Our Higher Education System

There are lots of people in our higher education system who claim that it is “the envy of the world” and just needs more money to graduate more young Americans … Continue reading “A Professor’s Tough Examination—Of Our Higher Education System”


Why Literary Scholarship Matters

Apr 11, 2018 · R.V. Young · Comments Off on Why Literary Scholarship Matters

A recent book by Thomas L. Martin and Duke Pesta, The Renaissance and the Postmodern: A Study in Comparative Critical Values represents something of a critical cat among the contemporary … Continue reading “Why Literary Scholarship Matters”


Teaching Freshman English: It’s a Battlefield

Jul 28, 2017 · Rick Diguette · Comments Off on Teaching Freshman English: It’s a Battlefield

So you think you might like teaching college English. You love the language and its great works. Lots of people are like that, including me. Good, but beware. Teaching college … Continue reading “Teaching Freshman English: It’s a Battlefield”


The English major has lost its way; here is a path back.

Aug 29, 2014 · Troy Camplin · Comments Off on The English major has lost its way; here is a path back.

The English major has lost its way; here is a path back.

More in Academics

  • 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”

  • Law-School “Mismatch” Is Worse Than We Thought Mar 15, 2023

    Eighteen years ago, I published an article in the Stanford Law Review which documented for the first time the enormous breadth and scale of race-based admissions preferences in law schools. … Continue reading “Law-School “Mismatch” Is Worse Than We Thought”

More in Commentary

  • 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”

  • 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”

More in Politicization

  • 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”

  • 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”

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Recent Articles

  • 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”

  • 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”

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